Mundane moments
by katibabe
Summary: Series of Chara one shots, some are comforting, some are angsty, some are sad. But, mostly romantic Chara. Hope you enjoy, please review.
1. Chapter 1

Ed. Note: This is one of many Mundane moments to come. They won't all be canon like this nor will they be in chronological order. Hope you enjoy, please review, and continue to read, becaus, in my personal opinion, the stories get better as they go on.

Chuck vs. Toto

Another day another bad guy defeated. Sarah entered the Buy More exhausted. She just wanted to go home and sleep. But she had to talk to Chuck. She couldn't leave things the way they had been after today's events. The automatic doors slid open and she entered what felt like a different world. The Nerd Herder desk had been turned into a stage with a banner above it that read "Jeffster". She knew immediately what was going on. Surely Jeff and Lester were pulling of some idiot stunt. Jeffster jumped on stage and began to sing Toto's "Africa". She dispelled their presence from her mind. She had to focus. She had to find Chuck. She looked around for the tall, curly brown haired man in his classic Nerd herd uniform. As she continued deeper into the store she saw a hint of that crooked smile she had come to love. She found her target and approached. "Chuck."

He turned toward her, hands tucked under his arms. His curly hair bouncing with the movement. "Hey Sarah." He said with his award winning smile.

How could he act like this? With her being so callous and cold to him all the time. Especially today. She felt guilt overcome her. He was too kind. Too loving. She could never live up to his generosity. "Chuck. I… I just wanted to say…" she couldn't get the words out.

Chuck unfolded his arms. Almost as if he was saying _I'm here to listen._

"I just wanted to say that I could have been more sensitive to your friendship with Morgan. I just don't really have anybody in my life that cares for me like that and so-"

"Yes you do." He said interrupting her apology.

She knew what he meant. He meant the he was there for her. Her heart melted. She lifted the corners of her mouth in a smile. Sarah was momentarily distracted by Jeffster belting the chorus of the song and with that Chuck caught her off guard. She looked down at her hand as she felt his fingers intertwining with hers. Her heart began to race and she looked into Chuck's eyes. There was something about those chocolate oceans of his that felt like… Home. Realizing she was on dangerous ground she turned her attention back to Jeffster. But, her thoughts were on their hands. She knew she she need to reign her emotions in but something in her wouldn't let her let go. She didn't know what to do. She could feel the begging of a very slippery slope.

Please review!

Also this story was inspired by a part ne17's advice on another story I'm writing. Go check out his stories!


	2. Chapter 2

Mundane Moments

 **Chapter 2**

Chuck vs. The movies

Ed. Note: I don't own Chuck, I think that's obvious by now.

One-shot. Sarah and Chuck go to the movies and Ellie helps Sarah clear her ease her mind.

"Chuck?", Sarah asked again. "Did you just flash?"

"What?", he finally spoke.

" I said 'did you just flash?'"

"What? No, no. Sorry, I just zoned out for a second." He said exhaustedly.

"Chuck are you sure you're okay?" She touched his shoulder affectionately."You seem… I don't know… Off."

"I'm sorry Sarah. I'm just a little tired is all." His eyes dropped then as if to prove his point.

"We don't have to go out tonight. Why don't I take you home so you can get some sleep." She wrapped an arm around his waist and started leading him towards the door, but he stopped.

"No, no. I promised I would take you to see _real_ movie. You're movie-cation is far more impirtant than my sleeping needs. Plus, I have no way of knowing when we'll have another night off like this. I want to make the best of it." He smiled that crooked smile at her. How could she say no?

"Okay, fine. But I don't see what the big deal is. It is, after all, just a movie."

"Just amovie?!" He said breathlessly. "Oh my dear Ms. Walker. Back to the Future two is _far_ more than 'just a movie'." He spoke with exaggeration and it made the pair smile.

"Fine. But if at any point I hear snoring in the theater, I will take you home." She said leading him to the car.

"Deal. You might have to call the S.W.A.T. team to wake me up though." He put his hand up to his mouth as if he was whispering a secret. "I'm a deep sleeper."

She laughed. It wasn't that funny, but Chuck just had that affect on her. If he made a joke, she would laugh. Even if it was an joke made stupid by exhaustion. She would laugh.

The movie started playing right as they sat in their seats. An old delorean appeared on the screen and an old man with weird sunglasses was talking to a kid and a girl as if they were all friends. _Why would two teenagers be friends with an old loon?_ Sarah thought to herself. But, if Chuck didn't question it neither would she. She looked over to Chuck in his seat beside her. He looked to be barely able to keep his eyes open. She smiled.

Chuck is so sweet and caring, maybe to a fault. He wanted her to see this movie so much that he put her needs above his. But why? Why did he care so much that she see this movie? She suspected it was part of his never ending quest to share his world with her. To help her feel like she belonged to something, a culture even.

She wished so badly to brush his curly bangs out of his droopy eyes. But she knew she couldn't. They had just established that they would be friends, nothing more. Why would he do that? Present the 'just friends' policy. Before things were complicated and confusing, yes, but she hoped maybe someday, against all odds… No. She knew why. They had no future, and they both knew it. They still hoped, ignoring the truth, they had hoped. But Chuck was the type of person who tatooed they're emotions on their face. There's no way he could understand her predicament. She could not tell him how she felt because 1. She was a spy and if she said anything the C.I.A. would inevitably find out and ship her off to masapequa in a flash, and 2. If that happened she couldnt ever see Chuck again, and that would crush her. So the option was clear keep her feelings to herself and stay with Chuck. But then he presented the idea of being 'just friends' and she broke. Even in front of Ellie they would just be friends. That meant no more hand holding, no more pecks on the check, no more staying at their house. It especially meant that if she ever slipped up again like in the warehouse then Casey would have grounds to report her and she couldnt blame it on the cover. Then she would be shipped off. This meant she had to keep her emotions tight- "knaahhhhh, pheeeeewwww…" -Great now Chuck was snoring.

She tapped his shoulder. "Chuck wake up." She whispered. With a start, Chuck Sat up in his chair. He quickly gained his barings.

"I wasn't sleeping." He denied.

Sarah raised an eyebrow.

Chuck sighed. "Soooo-ahhhhhhh-rry." He yawned. "Sorry. When I sit in chairs like this my head bends and kinks my throat causing me to snore."

"You want to go home?" She said grabbing his arm caringly.

"No it's okay. Let's finish th-aahhhhhh the movie." He yawned again.

"Chuck you need to go home." She urged.

"No, I promised. I want you to have something real." His face was still tired but it was more serious looking now.

After a pause she said, "Fine. But, I can't have you snoring." She lifted up the armrest between them and scooted closer until their legs were touching.

"Sarah what are you doing?"

"Just lean your head against mine. This way youre neck won't bend and you won't snore."

Chuck knew this isn't what friends usually do… But… "Uh, okay." He leaned his head against hers and instinctively placed his arm around her shoulders. As soon as he realized that he shouldn't have ddone that last part he began to lift his arm back up. But then she wrapped both of her arms around his torso and he decided it was fine.

They leaned against eachother for the rest of the night. When the movie was over she helped a partially awake Chuck staggar to the car.

She parked in front of Chuck's place and turned to say goodnight. When she saw him though she knew he was out cold. Sarah left him in the car to go get some help.

Devon came back with Sarah to the car and helped carry Chuck inside. "He fell asleep on a date? I mean…" Ellie didn't mean to say date. She knew they had only just became friends again. "Sorry."

"It's okay Ellie."

"He still fell asleep though. That's not very gentlemen like."

"No I dont mind. I actually wanted him to go home and get some rest. He was the one who insisted that I had to see Back to the Future two."

"Nerd. Ellie and Sarah laughed.

Devon came back. "Chuck's all tucked in." He said with a grin.

"Well I better go. Thanks for the help Devon. Bye Ellie." She waved and opened the door.

"Wait!" Ellie said. "Devon can you excuse us for a sec?" Sarah stepped back inside. Ellie's expression became concerned. "Sarah, I know it's none of my business but, well, why aren't you and my brother back together?"

Sarah's mind was filled with a million different reasons. She couldnt share any of them with Ellie though. She decided to tell her the truth. Well, as close as she could. "I actually wanted to get back together. But, well things between Chuck and I are a little complicated. Because of some… things in my life… well, let's just say, Chuck needs someone a little _less_ omplicated. He suggested we still be friends and I agreed."

"But you still love him?" Ellie asked deciphering Sarah's words.

Sarah hesitated. "Yes, I do, I probably always will. But Chuck deserves someone better…" She paused. "Look, please don't tell him any of this. I don't want to screw things up between us right now."

"Sarah, I'm sure you guys could work through whatever's keeping you apart. And as far as finding someone better… Well I don't think he will find someone as great as you." Ellie smiled. "I wont tell him. It's up to you to you to decide what you want to do."

Sarah hugged Ellie. She hadn't had very many female friends- scratch that- _Any_ friends. It was nice to have people there for her. "Thank you." And with that she left.

Ed. Note: Thanks for reading! I know the ending was weak but I still feel this is a nice addition to the Mundane Moments, one-shot series. Also, comment please! I am open to both feedback and praise. :)


	3. Chapter 3

CHUCK

VS.

THE SICK DAY

By: Katibabe

"Knock knock." Chuck said as he walked in the door hesitantly. "How are you feeling?"

She just stared at him. Her head at a ninety degree angle with her body. She was in bed and she was sick. She was terribly, horrifically sick.

"Right, of course you're feeling like crap. Well, I just brought you some soup. Daniel sends his compliments. I'm still not used to calling him that..." He was rambling again. She loved it when he rambled. It meant she didn't have to talk, and if she never spoke she could never screw things up. "Daniel just seems too soft, Shaw was far more intimidating. Anyway, back to you. The soup is tomato, I hope you like tomato. I've never seen you eat soup before so I wouldn't know- not that I watch you eat food. I just… I observe, you know like sharpening skills…. And what not. I've been talking for way too long. Do you need anything?" He said with that half crooked smile, the one where he shoves his hands in his pockets and shrugs, acting all shy.

Sarah smiled inside. But her outside was so weak she could barely manage and flat expression. She hated being weak. Weakness is not something you can afford, not when you're protecting something so valuable, and not just to the government. "No thanks." She croaked. Chuck was valuable to her, she couldn't deny it anymore. Before it was wrong because he was an asset and she was a spy. Now it's wrong because her and Daniel Shaw were in this unspoken relationship. The kind spies have. The kind she and Bryce Larkin had had…

"Are you sure?" He said grabbing a spoon and pouring the soup into a bowl. He carefully carried the soup over to the nightstand and set it down. "Maybe some help sitting up?" He said holding his hand out for her to take. She wasn't hungry at all but she hadn't eaten in twenty four hours. She took his hand and tried to sit up but failed, falling back to the pillows. She groaned. He laughed under his breath then took her hand once more, this time, he wrapped his other arm around her back and pulled her to a sitting position. "Theeeerrrre you go." looking like she might topple over if she had to lift her arms, he sat beside her and asked, "Do you need me to feed you?" He said half sarcastically.

She knew she would say no but was so obviously willing if she actually needed it. She smiled, it came effortlessly this time, and she shook her head, getting a little dizzy but recovering quickly.

She reached for the spoon and, like he had predicted, she toppled over. He quickly caught her waist pulling her back up by the shoulder. "I'll take that as a yes." He smiled and retrieved the soup for her. He lifted the spoon to her mouth and without a word she stared at him with a serious disbelief. He rolled his eyes in a joking manner. "Come on, just eat. You have to eat something." With a sigh of defeat she opened her mouth. The soup was warm and the texture was odd yet pleasing. She had never had tomato soup, but she knew now that she loved it.

After a couple spoonfuls she spoke up. "Isn't it _my_ job to take care of _you?_ Not the other way around." She smirked taking another bite. He set the soup down and looked into her eyes.

"There aren't any evil spies, ex-boyfriends, fulcrum/ring agents, Soviet retirees in a midlife crisis, or ninja assassins around. So while, yes, it is your job to protect me when needed, you are not currently needed. So please, agent walker, take a day off. For you and- and if not for you… then for me. Because I know you need it and I know you far more than deserve it. So take as many days as you need to get over this sickness, then take a couple more. And let us take care of you." Ahhhhhhh one of Chuck's classic speeches. The only minor thing that ruined it was the "us" as if he wasn't here taking care of her as chuck but as the agency. She didn't like that, she wanted Chuck.

"Us?" She said disappointed.

"Well, yeah. Shaw came over earlier didn't he?" He looked as if this should've been obvious.

"No, I've been awake all day, no one has been by but you." Sarah's agent walker side was flaring up. Her gut told her something was off.

"Well he said he was coming over, he must've changed his mind. I wonder where he ended up going… he left in the middle of a briefing with beckmen."

Sarah filed her suspicious feeling about Shaw to be retrieved later. She was distracted by what Chuck had just said. "I missed a briefing? Why didn't you call? What did she say? Do we have a new mission?" Sarah had never missed a briefing before. That just made her hatred for this sickness even worse. She was so angry at herself. How could she let herself get sick? How could this happen. She could feel the rage boiling inside her, no not rage… _oh no._ She thought as she sprang to the bathroom sliding to the toilet and, "Bluuuuuhhhhhh" up came the tomato soup and, was that the spaghetti from last night? _Oh no_ , chuck was watching this. She had forgotten to close the door. She turned her head slightly she was done to see his face, probably in shock and disgust, as close to the opposite wall as possible. But no, when she looked she saw him almost in the bathroom itself, walking towards her- "bleehhhhhh" again she emitted a nasty orange color. Feeling weak she changed from sitting on her knees to sitting on the ground, limply hanging to the edge of the toilet. She coughed up the remaining chunks and didn't bother looking back at chuck, she was to tired. She just hoped he wasn't completely horrifie- _hmmmmmm_ she thought to herself as something icy touched her feverish neck. It was his fingers. He took her hair back behind her head and held it for her.

"Don't want to get these Goldy locks all gross, now do we? You wouldn't be as effective at a seducing mission with Chunks in your hair." She could feel his smile as he sat down on the edge of the tub behind her. He began using his other hand to rub her back, this hand icy as well. The coolness felt so good she couldn't help but shiver. He interpreted that the wrong way and removed his hand.

"No wait that felt good. Please… do that again." Again she felt his smile and his icy hand returned to her back. A couple of minutes later she hurled again. Then another few minutes passed and Chuck decided she needed some rest. So he grabbed a bucket from the cabinet above her sink and set it on her bed. He then returned to the bathroom and helped Sarah stand up. She was so weak that he would have had to drag her To move her. Recognizing this he swung her legs into his arms as well and carried her to bed. She unknowingly buried her face in his chest…

That moment seemed to last forever, for the both of them. He lightly laid her back down on the bed and covered her with the sheets. "So you want the covers too or are you still feverish?" He felt her forehead, it was burning.

"I'm actually quite cold. Could you get a couple more blankets from the closet and throw them on?" She said through chattering teeth.

He searched the closet and found a couple small blankets, it was, after all, L.A. Who used big blankets? He threw the extra blankets on and waited for anymore requests. Happy to just see her lying there he may have waited a bit too long. "Well, if you don't need anything else I think i might just… go… if that's okay with you." She didn't make any movements, _she must be asleep,_ he thought. "Okay," he whispered "I'll take that as an okay." He wiped a couple bangs away from her face, unconsciously, and her head turned to his receding hand. He sighed, knowing these moments were limited. He grabbed his buy more blazer and headed for the door. When he opened the door he thought he could hear Sarah, in a croaky voice, say, "Thanks" but maybe he was just imagining it.


	4. Chapter 4

Ed. Note: Don't own Chuck Don't own the song. This isn't really a song fix per say, but the chorus at the end, I feel, plays on Sarah's emotions a tad. So I threw it in their. Hope you enjoy!

Chuck vs. the Waltz

"Care to dance?" Sarah said in a stunning silver dress asked.

"I can't. Atleast not _real_ dancing anyway. Now if we're talking ironic eighties moves, well then, I'm your man." He responded in his charming nervous humor. Only she could make him feel this uneasy.

"Chuck, please, I know you can dance. If I recall correctly you took ballroom in the eighth grade." Sarah accused lightheartedly.

"Where'd you hear that, My file? And There's no reason for us to be dancing right now. The premier is safe so it's not like we need to get across the dancefloor all stealth like. Nor is there an enemy agent to have a dance battle of intimidation with."

"I heard it from Ellie. And what are you talking about?" She questioned.

"I'm just saying, my clumsy dancing will only draw attention to the operation. There's no reason to dance." Chuck huffed.

"The operation is over. _You_ just don't want to embarrass yourself in front of Ellie and Awesome." Sarah teased, sitting back in her chair confidently.

"Maybe, but mostly because there's no reason to be dancing right now." Chuck refused to make eye contact and stared at the crowd of guests attending the party instead. He knew if he looked at her now he would give in and go dance, but he truly did not want to.

She loved and hated how clueless he was. She was openly flirting with him. Trying to mend their relationship and get it back to where it was before Prague. Sure she hadn't completely forgiven him, but that didn't mean she didn't still want him, that she didn't still _love_ him. "Chuck, there is a reason and a valid one too. I want to dance. With you. Tonight." She stared relentlessly at him until he finally made eye contact.

Chuck sighed and smiled. "Okay, okay…" Sarah suppressed a grin. "But, you're going to have to teach me because I wasn't lying when I said I can't dance."

"I think that can be arranged." She took his hand and lead him to the dance floor where _Iron and Wine's_ "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" was playing in a delicate 3/3 time, by the L.A. Orchestra. "Okay Chuck, place your hand In mine like this." She said as she cupped their hand together. "Now place your other hand in the arch of my back." Sarah guided his hand slowly. Chuck seemed nervous, almost as if he wasn't sure whether or not he was crossing a line. Chuck was staring at her hand on his, "Look at me," he did and he swallowed hard. "Now do the opposite of my feet and we're going to move in a circle like so." Chuck still wouldn't make eye contact with her. _What's going on with him?_ She thought. If he wasn't going to look at her than she certainly wasn't going to stare at the side of his face all night. She drew herself closer into Chuck's arms and rested her head on his chest. Chuck immediately tensed but didn't pull back.

The song played

 _I was a quick wet boy,_

 _Diving too deep for coins,_

 _All of your straight blind eyes,_

 _Wide on my plastic toys._

"Oops, sorry." He said as he accidently stepped on her foot. "Gah, I told you I was bad at this." Sarah looked up and Chuck stared at their feet trying to step at the right moment.

"You're doing fine. Just look at me." Sarah said in a delicate and comforting tone. Chuck looked off to the side, still not making eye contact.

 _I can't do this, it's happening again._ Chuck thought. _It's too much like before, I don't want to hurt her, or more likely, be hurt, for that matter._

"What are you thinking about?" Sarah asked. For what felt like the first time that night, Chuck looked into her eyes. But, he didn't say anything. It was almost as if his Chocolate irises were saying, _you._

"I was just thinking about the Premier's safety is all." Chuck said before he looked away once again.

Sarah knew when he was lying. Chuck was hurting, but was obviously trying to hide it. Was he trying to protect her? Chuck always wore his emotions on his sleeve so why he would pick now to hide what he was thinking is strange. _You idiot! Walker you know why Chuck is upset. Why wouldn't he be. You guys were going to go to run away together, Chuck bailed out. And while you were sitting here sobbing over your own broken heart, you didn't even think how he might be feeling. Ni_

 _It even contemplating how hard it must have been to give you up so he could protect the greater good! And now, with this mission protecting the Premier. Being able to enjoy this party because the threat on his life no longer exists. It hurts. He's on a cover date with you at a sexy black tie party and he doesn't want to blur the lines again. And YOU, you've been flirting with him all night! Of course he feels confused. He knows you're still not over Prague. Heck you've barely spoken to him at all since then. You need to stop leading him on Walker. At least until you can forgive him, otherwise… Prague will be a dark cloud constantly looming over you, ready to explode into a downpour._ "Chuck… I know you're upset. Please talk to me."

 _I was a fat house cat,_

 _Cursing my sore Blunt tongue,_

 _Watching the warm poisoned rats,_

 _Curl through the wide fence Cracks…_

Chuck looked at her with sad and confused eyes. "I can't do this-"

"You dancing fine." Sarah reassured him.

"I can't do THIS." He gestured to the both of them. "It's too much like before. With this party, with you. Us dancing, not for a mission, but for fun. You, here in my arms. It's like nothing has changed and that's the problem, because _everything_ has changed. And I want it, how we were before I mean. I want things to go back to the way they were. But, it's clear you haven't forgiven me for Prague, Why would you? I left you there. I left _you_. I think about it all the time, how things might be different. And as much as I love… I can't seem to convince myself I made the wrong decision. This life, the one I have now, has Ellie, Awesome, and Morgan. My family. And because of the decision I made I can be here to protect them. From black market merchants, with a knack for poisoning, or Asian political assassins who like car bombs. Even temporary NSA agents who nearly break up a marriage because they have stripping history. And I've lost track of where I was going with this..." Chuck broke eye contact once again leaving Sarah to feel alone. A moment passed, "I just know, we will never be where we were before. And with it feeling like it was before, it hurts." Chuck sighed.

Another moment passed. "I know I haven't exactly made this easy for you. With everything that happened… I just don't know if I _can_ make it easy for you." Sarah whispered.

"And you shouldn't. I deserve everything. It's my fault. I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't _want_ you to forgive me. Just know that even though I feel I made the right decision, every bone in my body regrets not running away with you." Chuck said.

"It's not your fault. I should never have suggested we run away together. It was unprofessional and I don't know what I was thinking." This time it was Sarah who looked away.

"Don't do that. Please. Don't become agent Walker again." Chuck pressed his forehead against Sarah's and closed his eyes tightly. "I know I hurt you, and you have every right to hide behind that mask, but please don't." Chuck pleaded. He opened his eyes to find a teary Sarah.

"What do you want me to do then? I can't forgive you. Even if I did, how could I trust you again?" Sarah closed her eyes too.

"You're right." Chuck said, but those were not the words Sarah wanted to here. "I will probably never earn your forgiveness or even your trust. Even if I did and we were together, no matter how much I would say 'I'll never hurt you again' I can't prove that I won't. So here's what I will do." Chuck looked deep into Sarah's eyes. "I promise I will never hurt you again because I won't let you give me the chance. No more confusing cover dates, or angsty friendships." A single tear slid down Chuck's cheek and his voice became shaky. "If you ask Beckmen for a reassignment I won't convince you to stay. And if you decide to stay, despite our past, I promise I will keep things professional."

"Chuck…" Sarah whispered sadly.

"And when you start dating again, and you find someone better than me, I promise I'll hide my jealousy." Chuck laughed through his tears. "So even though I want to stay, with my arms wrapped around you like this forever, I know I have to let go now. Because if I were to hold on any longer, I might take back everything I've said and cling onto to the idea of us." They stopped and froze on the dance floor for what felt like eternity. Eventually Chuck let go of Sarah, effectively ending their Waltz. He kissed her on the cheek and soaked in every second. Before he walked off and left her alone.

 _Have I found you,_

 _Flightless Bird,_

 _Jealous, weeping._

 _Or lost you, American Mouth,_

 _Big bird, looming on._

Ed. Note: Sad face. Not my favorite way to end a story but there's more fluff to come! Also, and I just need to put this out there, for you awesome writers who can't think of stories, I have about a billion Chuck Ideas and lack both the time and the talent to write them so if anyone wants to write something with me… you should message me.


	5. Chapter 5

Ed. Note: first part is canon, second part is AU if Ellie hadn't been poisoned.

Chuck vs. the PTSD

Lighting Candles and placing them meticulously around the room, Chuck, Hummed along to the Isley Brothers Ain't I been good to you. He might have even thrown in an awkward dance move or two. "Oooh!" Chuck sang along.

"Wow Chuck what do you think is going to happen tonight?" Sarah said appearing from nowhere and startling Chuck.

"I don't know, what do you think I think?" Chuck asked.

"Well, I don't know. The candles, the music. You _do_ know this is just a cover date right?" Sarah asked suspiciously.

"I know. I'll lose the music." Chuck turned the Isley Brothers off and climbed in bed. "You can change in the bathroom." Chuck said, purposely avoiding eye contact.

"That's okay." Sarah said removing her trench coat to reveal a silky purple dress.

"What?! You give me crap for lighting a few candles and you come in wearing that?!" Chuck accused, trying hard to convince himself that this actually _was_ a cover date.

"What this?" Sarah asked. Chuck nodded eyes wide. "This is for our cover." She tried to defend.

"Well it doesn't cover a thing." Chuck responded frustrated.

"Oh wow. _Real_ mature. Besides, what if Ellie or Awesome were to come in here? I am just being professional." Sarah huffed.

"Yeah the world's oldest profession." Chuck turned away from Sarah angrily.

"What is with you tonight anyway?" Sarah questioned, refusing to acknowledge that that last comment stung.

Chuck rolled to face her. He sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm not being professional. It's just you and Casey are these great agents that always know what they're doing and I… I just screw things up. Like with the music and the candles. I thought that would be good for the cover, but they weren't. And then you came in wearing that, because you know what sells a cover and what doesn't. But, I'm still clueless. I guess I just got mad because I want to know what you know. I want to know how to sell a cover, the right way." Chuck apologized with his big brown eyes.

Sarah felt bad, she reprimanded Chuck for trying to sell the cover in a _real_ way where as, she just used the cover as an excuse to wear this dress and maybe get a reaction from Chuck. Chuck just wants to be a _real_ spy. "Alright, you want some pointers?" Sarah asked defeated.

"Yes. Please."

"Well let's start off with what you would do to seduce a girlfriend."

"Well like I had set up. The candles and the music." Chuck said confused. "What am I supposed to do?"

Sarah smiled and rolled her eyes. "Okay first mistake, the song you had on. Playing the Isley Brothers right off the bat sounds like you've discussed before hand that she was going to spend the night. You need to make it feel like her decision. And since Ellie and Awesome can hear your speakers, the Isley Brothers sounds to premeditated. Start off with something calming and about love. Like 3 rounds and a sound by blind pilot. Have a couple songs like that leaving you enough time to work your way up to a kiss, etc."

"Wow, okay. I didn't realize music choice was so effective." Chuck pondered.

"Second mistake: The candles, again, too premeditated. This mistake: your outfit. If our relationship was real, and you really wanted me to stay the night. Is that really what you would be wearing?" Sarah asked.

"Uh… Yeah?" Chuck answered.

"No. You should be wearing nicer clothes. Not a tux or a suit, but not your day job outfit either." Sarah stood up and walked over to his closet.

"I really don't see how this would effect the cover. I get the music because Ellie and Awesome can hear it, but I don't get the clothes. They won't see my clothes." Chuck said.

"Knowing Ellie, I think she would open your door in the middle of the night to see if I stayed. She might even walk in in the morning with breakfast. Don't get me wrong I like Ellie but she has little boundaries when it comes to investigating your relationships." Sarah said as she pick out a long sleeve black button up tee, dark denim jeans, and a black belt. "Here. This is what you should wear." She tossed him the outfit and went back to her place on the bed. "Put it on." She gestured.

He looked at her uncomfortably.

"Oh my gosh. I won't look, I promise." She made a face at him.

Chuck stood up and put on the clothes, throwing the gray shirt and sweats he was wearing into his dirty laundry basket. "Okay, what do you think?" He said as he buttoned up the last few buttons.

"Looks good." She smiled reassuringly. She couldnt help but think that he actually looked attractive in that. "Now your hair."

"What about it?" Chuck said wondering if she didn't like his long locks.

"Just need to mess it up a bit, you know why." When he sat back on the bed she ran her fingers through his hair viciously, messing it up. She kind of liked it like this, untamed. "I should probably mess up mine too." She said doing the same to her hair.

"Anything else?" Chuck said.

"Yeah, put your shirt on the floor."

"What? No." Chuck said astonished.

"Oh my gosh, Chuck. If this were real would you really be wearing that to 'bed'?" She put the last word in air quotes.

"Fine." Chuck placed the shirt on the floor and hid his upper body under the covers.

"Always the modest one huh chuck?" She teased. "Now turn the music back on." She said as she turned out the lights.

After the song ended Chuck turned the speakers off and they both layed their, keeping a distance between them but still silently feeling the electricity that filled the room. After a long uncomfortable hour for the both of them, Chuck heard Sarah snoring. He smiled to himself. This model of perfection snoring just didn't seem to fit. In some ways it humanized her. After another sleepless hour, "Jjjjug. Juck." She slurred in her sleep. _Is she saying Chuck?_ He liked the idea that he took part in her dreams. "NO!" she shouted, sitting straight up in the chaos.

"Sarah, are you okay?" Chuck asked sitting up as well. He could see that Sarah was still sleeping. "Sarah?" He touched her shoulder. She immediately grabbed his wrist and choked him with her free hand. "You killed him! You killed him!" She screamed, still asleep. Good thing Ellie and Awesome were on the night shift.

"Eem jure we ken werk thees owd." Chuck spoke through Sarah's choke hold. With his free hand he tried to push away her face. He couldn't breathe. She was killing him. "Sar- aww!" He tried to yell. One second he saw her eyes flutter open, the next she was halfway across the room having released him from her killer grip, and then he blacked out.

When Chuck awoke he saw a curtain of blonde surrounding his face, at the center of that curtain he saw Icewater blue eyes, and just below them pink rose lips. "Chuck." The lips said. "Are you okay?" Sarah asked concerned. His head was resting in her lap, she was leaning over him, her fingers cascading down his jaw and neck.

"Just fine, how are you?" And he did feel fine, great actually. He was in his own personal heaven… _Heaven? Am I dead?!_ "Am I dead?" He asked calmly, even though he was extremely concerned.

Sarah giggled. "No Chuck you're not dead." she sat up and with her hair out of the way he could see his room. "What happened?" He asked closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath, inhaling everything about this moment.

"Well, I um… Kind of strangled you and you passed out." She said nervously.

Chuck happily inhaled once again, "That's nice." He felt her fingers stiffen against his neck. "What's wrong?" He asked opening his eyes once more seeing her teary eyes. He sat up and face her. "Hey, what's the matter?" He said taking her hands In his.

"I almost killed you Chuck! How are you not freaking out right now?!" She screamed squeezing his hands tight.

Chuck looked down at there hands intertwined. He felt her Iron grip and it came back to him, "You choked me?" He said barely loud enough to hear. He let go of her hands.

"Yes! Finally your freaking out." Sarah said.

Chuck thought to himself for a second. "Are you okay?" He asked taking her hands once again.

"What?" Now it was Sarah's turn to be confused.

"Sarah you were asleep. You seemed to be having an awful nightmare. While you were choking you said, 'You killed him, you killed him!' What were you dreaming about?"

Sarah decided to overlook the fact that Chuck was overlooking her nearly killing him. Shed save that for later. "I don't remember." She said.

"Think hard."

Sarah thought for a moment. "Casey and I were running through a halfway and we kicked in a door. You were tied to a chair and you were laying on the floor… There was blood, your blood, and lots of it. La Ciudad was standing above you, a gun pointed at your chest. I tackled and started choking her. That when I woke up." Sarah said.

"Maybe you're experiencing PTSD? We haven't had an adrenaline pumping mission in a while. The stress might be catching up with you." He said, rubbing the Back of her hand with his thumb."We just need to get you back in the field where all the excitement is."

"Maybe…" they both sat in silence for a moment.

"Well we should get some sleep." Chuck said as he reached over her to turn off the lamp. "Goodnight Sarah" He said in the dark.

"Goodnight Chuck." She said.

Chuck slept a little better now that the tension ha had lessened. He got a decent two hour nap before he awoke to a screaming Sarah.

"No! Nooo! NOOO! CHUUUUCCKK!" Sarah was still asleep. Somehow she had managed to move herself all the way to the doorframe.s he was hugging her knees and shaking as she yelled out his name once more.

Chuck leapt from the bed and ran over too her. "It's okay, it's okay! I'm here, I'm here!" He said as he shook her awake.

Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at Chuck in disbelief. "Chuck?" She whispered.

"I'm here." He whispered back.

She fell into his arms and started crying. Chuck felt uncomfortable, immodest even, without his shirt. But Sarah needed him now so he forgot about it completely. He wrapped his arms around her back and under her legs and carried her to the bed. They both layed there, Sarah still in his arms and sobbing into his chest.

"We'll figure this out Sarah, I promise." He said as he kissed the tp of her head. And she felt as if he meant that in more than one way.

As always. Review! And I'm open to ideas for more mundane moment one shots if you have them.


	6. Chapter 6

Chuck vs. the choice

"We'll always have Omaha." Bryce had said. His words played on repeat in his head. What does it mean? Casey said it's some kind of contact point. But, why does she need to meet him? Is she going away with him? Chuck rubbed his sweaty palms against his neck. She hadn't answered his call, maybe she was sleeping? No, of course not.

Okay Chuck, get yourself together. Maybe if you find the spot you can convince her to stay. Chuck thought for a moment. "Omaha… Omaha… Oh- Maha… Oma- Ha… Omaha! Omaha lane! It's by the airport." Chuck grabbed his keys and ran to the Herder. Hopefully he wasn't too late. -

Sarah had her bags packed and ready to go. She stared out the window overlooking L.A.. Am I really doing this? Leaving chuck? It's not like I'm leaving a long term relationship. We've never really been on a date. But, as much as I hate to admit it, I do really like Chuck. I guess it's the idea of a future with him that I'm leaving. And, If that's the case then I have to go because I can never really have a future with him. Why is this so hard? She thought.

Me and Bryce have been together for almost three years now. Only when I thought he was dead did I stop allowing myself to love him. Love him… that's right! I love him! I barely know Chuck. Of course I'm going to with Bryce. I need to go with Bryce. Sarah pulled her bag off the bed and wheeled it behind her. She locker he apartment for the last time and left her key at the desk. She knew she was making the right choice. It was clearly the logical thing to do…

A line from Shakespeare entered her head, The sun sees not till heaven clears. "Love is blind…" She whispered to herself. What was she doing making a logical decision where love is concerned. She was thinking with her head not her heart. She sat in her car unable to think. If I go with Bryce I'm going back to something I know, I'll probably be asking myself for years what would've happened if I had stayed with Chuck. But, If I stay with Chuck I only have the possibility of a future- Scratch that, I only get to imagine a future. I will never be able to have a relationship with Chuck. It just comes down to if being around Chuck and getting to imagine is worth more than a real relationship with Bryce….

Sarah took a deep breath. I want to stay with Chuck, that's what my heart is saying but, being around him and never getting to be with him relationship wise, that would just be torture. Going with Bryce will save me a lot of heartache. Even if I'm lying to myself by saying I still love him. Sarah started the car and backed out. 20 minutes later she was at their meeting spot by the airport. -

Chuck arrived at the street. He ran to find Sarah. And he did when he turned the corner. She stood under a street lamp, her golden hair glowing in the harsh light. He stopped. She's here. He thought. Some part of him wished that she wouldn't be, that he would turn the corner and see Bryce standing alone. That She would've picked him instead of Bryce. But, she didn't she picked Bryce. Of course, why wouldn't she? He's got the looks, the proffession, he's smart but cool, and he doesn't screw up.

Chuck leaned against the wall. He couldn't leave. He needed to see her actually leave with Bryce to believe that there was no hope left. He waited. She was alone, which meant Bryce would be here soon… -

Sarah stood under the lamp post. She looked to her left and right waiting, pushing down any doubt that she might be making the wrong choice. She vigorously rubbed the handle of her back with hers thumbs in anticipation. Where is he? He's late. She thought periodically looking at he watch. Finally she set the bag down and sat on it. She rubbed her arms, it's freezing out here. She thought. It started to rain slightly. He came out of no where. And some part of her was disappointed that he did, because now she knew for sure that she was leaving with him. She stood as he entered the surround light of the lamp post. "Sarah," Bryce said. He was grinning. Sarah half smiled back.

"You ready?" He picked up her bag for her. Sarah looked away.

" Yeah, let's go." She said somewhat dully.

Bryce stopped. He looked in her eyes searching for the real answer to his question. "Sarah? Are you sure you want to do this?" He said softly and slowly. Sarah's eyes started to water a bit.

"Let's go." she offered an unconvincing smile trying to hide her true expression.

"You didn't answer my question." He set her back back down and gestured for her to sit. She did, refusing to make eye contact she stared at her hands folded in her lap. Bryce kneeled in front of her. "Is this about Chuck?" He asked. Sarah looked off to the side, biting her lip she slowly shook her head.

"No." She said barely above a whisper. She tried to stare him down but, it wasn't working. He wasn't convinced. She went back to looking at her hands. Bryce tried to make eye contact but when she refused he stood up.

"I love you Sarah I do. But, you don't feel the same anymore. And that's fine, Chuck's a good guy. There's no one I would rather lose you to. But, you need to stop lying to yourself. Go home Sarah." He said kindly. He walked off into the dark. Sarah sat silently on her suitcase.

What home? She knew the answer immediately. Chuck. Chuck is my home. She smiled slightly but, lost it immediately. This didn't fix the fact that they couldn't ever be together. A tear broke away and ran down her face. The sky seemed to feel similarly because the rain started to fall stronger. Sarah was getting soaked but, she didn't care. Sometimes you just need to sit in the rain. -

Chuck was still leaning against the wall. He saw the whole thing go down. Sarah waiting, Bryce leaving, Sarah heartbroken- Chuck heartbroken. Sarah didn't choose him, maybe she was never interested in the first place, maybe there was no choice to be made, just an offer and an answer. And Sarah certainly answers Bryce's offer but, for some reason he left without her. Maybe he didn't love her anymore, if that's the case then he's crazy. Who wouldn't want this goddess? It had been twenty minutes since Bryce left, Sarah was still sitting there. He sighed, walking over to her he took his Buy More blazer off. She was facing away from him so he lightly placed a hand on her shoulder. As quickly as the flash of lightning in the distance she turned and socked him in the throat knocking him flat to the ground.

"Chuck!" She fell to her knees by his side. "I didn't know it was you I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Chuck's eyes were closed and she was positive she had killed him, or at the very least shocked him into unconsciousness. Frantically waving her hands around his face, seemingly searching for some nonexistent wound to tend to, Sarah started to freak out. She closed her eyes, trying to remember how to wake someone who's been knocked unconscious. But then, he moved. He was holding his hand straight up, his jacket in his grasp.

"I thought you would want this." He said in a raspy voice. She laughed in relief. She smiled and shook her head, taking the jacket from his hand she wrapped it around her shoulders. "Come on, I'll help you up." She stood and extended her hand. She helped him stand and wrapped an arm around his waist. He mimicked the gesture around her shoulders as he picked up her bag for her.

"Are you okay?" He asked sincerely.

"Me? What about you?!" She stared at her for a minute. She sighed.

"I'm fine." She lied. Chuck knew she was lying but, he didn't want to push her. She would talk when she was ready, if she was ever going to be ready. For now he simply pulled her closer and let her rest her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her arm and she wrapped his blazer more tightly around her. They got to the car and he opened the door for her. She sat down and he walked around to the driver's side.

"Oh Chuck! You're soaking! Here, I don't need it anymore."

She took off the jacket and held it out. "No it's fine, you keep it." He said.

"Chuck you're going to get the seats all moldy smelling. Just put it on will you? For me?" She gave hi. Puppy dog eyes and he caved. He took the jacket. Chuck stared at her.

"Echem." He coughed.

"Oh." She giggled at his modesty. She looked away and he removed his shirt and threw it in the back seat.

"Chuck! You have abbs?!" She teased even though she couldn't see anything. "Don't look!" He whined. She couldn't actually see but his reaction made her think that maybe he really did have abbs. She bit her lip, shouldn't be thinking about that walker. She thought to herself.

"I wasn't, I was kidding, relax." She smiled, and he smiled in return, though she couldn't see it. He zipped on his blazer

"You can look now." He coughed awkwardly and drove down the road.

"Can I ask you something?" Sarah asked.

"Uh, sure." He responded more focused on the road than her.

"How did you know where I was? Are you stalking me now?" Sarah smiled teasingly. Chuck fake coughed.

"Uh… No, it was just… uh, luck I guess." Sarah's smile faded.

"You heard Bryce when he was talking about Omaha didn't you." She stated more than asked. "You figured out what it meant and came here… Why?" She honestly wondered. Chuck looked away from the road momentarily to look at her with pleading eyes. But he quickly looked back. "You were hoping I wouldn't go…" She trailed off. She knew she had hurt him.

"Sarah-" He was interrupted.

"I didn't want to hurt you Chuck. I knew if I stayed it would've have been worse than if I had left." Sarah said quietly. Feeling guilty.

"Maybe for you…" He said. She was hurt because she knew her actions hurt him.

He sighed "I don't care that you chose Bryce Sarah, because I choose you. And even if you weren't planning on staying, you're here now, and I intend on making that count for something." They arrived at her apartment complex.

She was stunned. "Why do you always have to say just thing?" She barely whispered, staring at the hands folded in her lap. She smiled and looked at him from under her lashes. She leaned over to him and he froze not knowing what she was going to do next. "Good night Chuck." She said . She kissed him on the cheek slowly and whispered in his ear "and I chose you, just not in the way you think." She let her cheek linger against his for longer than she probably should have. Finally she exited the car and disappeared into her hotel.

Chuck sat in the car for a long time, he touched the place on his cheek where she had kissed him. A minute later she walked right back out the doors she had come in. She knocked on his car window. He looked at her in surprise and rolled down the window.

"Chuck open the door." She said.

"Why?" He asked confused. She gave him an intense look and he did as she said. She pulled him by his jacket out of the car and kissed him smack on the mouth. She broke away giving him a chance to deny the kiss, their foreheads pressed against each other. As soon as he recovered from the shock of what just happened he pulled her close and returned the kiss. - At least, that's what she imagined she would do if they could ever be together. But, as soon as she reaquired her room key she headed to her room, tired from all the emotions today had brought. Falling into bed she screamed into her pillow. Why can't things be simple for once?! She thought.


	7. Chapter 7

Chuck vs. the More than life

"It's over walker. I have your agent."

"I still have a gun. And I won't hesitate to use it." Replied Sarah.

"Shoot me all you want-" the double agent was interrupted.

"Okay." Sarah sneered but, still didn't shoot.

"Shoot me all you want," the traitor said more sternly this time, "but you're pretty little analyst falls 675ft with me." She said. The enemy agent held her hand in the air dragging Chuck's with it. They were handcuffed together.

Sarah rocked back on her heels. She hadn't seen that earlier. "It seems we're at a bit of an impasse Catrina."

"Yes it does." Catrina smirked.

 **Chuck's pov**

Chuck was groggy but, starting to get a hold on the situation. For some reason his wrist hurt, he was in Catrina's arms… Catrina! He would have leapt away from her if he wasn't so groggy. _Was I drugged?_ He thought. He felt something wet on his head, wet and sticky. _Blood? Not, drugged, knocked out._ The muffled voices in the background started to become more prevalent. He heard arguing.

"Why don't we make a deal? I have what you want, the cypher," She held up a round metal device, "and you have Chuck. I'll give you what you want, if you give me what I want. And… if it makes you feel better I'll give you a ten minute head start before I come find you and kick the crap out of you." Sarah suggested snuggly, trying to get a hold on the situation.

"Okay Walker. Give me what I want first and you have a deal."

"Same time." Sarah grunted.

"Uh-Uh-ah. I have the more precious cargo." She propped a nearly lifeless against her side.

"Fine. Why do you always have to be so difficult?" Sarah huffed, tossing the cipher at Catrina's feet.

"What else are sisters for?" Catrina spoke smiley picking up the cipher. She examined the object then placed it in her pocket. "On second thought…" Catrina turned towards a loopy Chuck. She stroked some curls out of his face.

Sarah's jaw clenched at the sight.

"I think I'll keep the nerdy analyst. After all, a girl has to have her hobbies." She winked.

After hearing this Chuck knew what was happening. He knew he's never see the light of day again he went with Catrina. She had everything she needed so what was Catrina's next move? He waited for Sarah to make _her_ move but, she must not have a clean shot because she wasn't taking one. He looked at Catrina with blurry vision. He barely made out a hand reaching for a gun. _She's going to shoot Sarah!_ He scrambled to knock the gun out of her hand but the handcuffs he was wearing got in the way.

 **Casey's pov**

Casey had gotten the call about Catrina from Sarah about ten minutes ago. He was hoping he wasn't to late. He was speeding up the windy road in his crown Vic. He didn't know exactly where they were, Sarah had just said the east side cliff.

He eventually spotted them in a classic western stand off stance. He rushed through the trees with his gun in hand and hid in some nearby foliage. He watched Sarah for a brief second, he knew she had room to take the shot but, for some reason she wasn't. Scratch that not _some_ reason _the_ reason. Chuck would be within a foot of the bullet and she didn't dare risk getting a scratch on Chuck. Even though she had the most expert marksmanship he had ever seen coming from anyone other than himself.

Catrina was starting to walk away with the asset. Casey counted to three. _One… Two…_ "come on Walker take the shot… take the shot" she clearly wasn't going to take it. Luckily, Casey didn't share her concerns and- "Three!" He took the shot. Buy, something went wrong. Chuck had reached for something and had gotten in the way!

The bullet hit his shoulder.

He knocked both Carina and himself to the ground.

Carina was slipping of the edge.

Sarah screamed Chuck's name as she ran to him.

Casey saw the cuffs and realized his mistake. If Catrina falls off the cliff so does Chuck. Casey started to run towards Chuck in hopes of saving him.

 **Sarah's pov**

In Sarah's eyes the scene played out in slow motion:

Chuck jumps in front of Carina.

Chuck is shot.

Both fall to the ground.

Carina is knocked off the ledge.

Chuck is dragged towards the edge.

Sarah falls to the ground by the edge and reaches for Chuck's hand.

She grasps his wrist momentarily before he slips through her fingers, almost as if a metaphor for their entire relationship.

Both Carina and Chuck fall 675 ft. Into the ocean.

 **Casey's pov**

Casey arrives just as the two crash into the water below. He turns to comfort Sarah but, she seems unshaken.

"Sarah…" He tries to form an apology but, knows it's too soon.

Instead of shock or horror or disbelief, sarah's face week's to display determination. She quickly takes off her shoes and jacket, anything that might weigh her down.

Casey immediately recognized what she is about to do. "Sarah! Don't. You'll die, he… He wouldn't want that." He grabs her shoulder.

Sarah looks him sternly in the eyes. "He would do the same for me." She says plainly and then dives head first into the vast ocean below.

 **Sarah's pov**

The air flies past her face and once she's in the water she frantically searches for Chuck. Far below in the dark she catches a shimmer of light bouncing off of what she assumes to be the handcuffs. She pushes herself down towards the object and grabs hold of something. Pulling with all of her strength she thrusts the object towards the surface with her. In the better light she can see that it's Carina and Chuck. But, the weight of them both is too much. She pulls out her hairpin and uses it to pick the cuffs lock. The water pressure is keeping the cuff in place though. She uses everything she has but it won't budge.

Finally she kicks it with her foot in a last attempt, low on oxygen she doesn't know if they'll make it. But with the thrust of her foot the cuff opened and she gets chuck free.

Catrina sinks below but, she pays no attention. Her focus is Chuck. She kicks her feet and pushes them towards the surface. Whatever lucidness Chuck was feeling before was clearly knocked out of him by the fall. The water, the fall, and the head injury too made her wonder if Chuck was going to make it at all. But, she knew she had to fight for whatever chance he had.

Finally breaking the surface she gasped for air. She swam to shore towing Chuck along. Cadey had made it to the beach and was ready to help.

Helping Chuck out of the water Casey had started compressions. As soon as she caught her breath She rushed to his side. He was still lifeless.

She examined his vitals and saw that his heart was beating. "Casey stop! His heart going."

"Then why isn't he conscious?" Casey breathed.

"Because he can't breathe!" Sarah pinched Chuck's nose and tilted his head back. She started breathing into his lungs. She tried to remember everything she had learned in CPR training back at Langley. But, nothing was happening. He wasn't breathing.

"C'mon Chuck breathe!" She performed mouth to mouth again breathing air into his lungs. "Breathe!" Tears swelled in her eyes. Another breath. Nothing.

"BREATHE!" She slammed her fist into his stomach.

Chuck coughed up all the salt water stuck in his and went into a coughing fit.

Sarah started balling. She pulled him in close.

 **Casey's pov**

Casey felt as if he was intruding. He knew he was at fault for what happened. He went to go call an ambulance for Chuck.

 **Sarah's pov**

Casey had given Sarah his jacket to push against Chuck's bullet wound. She was wrapping her jacket around his forehead wound. She had never seen Chuck more broken.

"Sarah." Chuck said in a crackly voice.

"Yeah Chuck?" She said through her thick tears of joy.

"Do you love me?" He nearly whispered his throat hurt so much.

She looked behind her to see Casey facing towards the road ready to wave down the ambulance. She leaned close into Chuck's ear. "More than life." She whispered, holding Chuck in her lap


	8. Chapter 8

Chuck Versus the Name

"My name is Sam." Sarah had said. The words rung in his head. And the words weren't even meant for him! He had overheard her telling Dhaw her secret. SHAW! If she was going to share her real name with anyone he had always thought it would be himself. That was their thing. Chuck and Sarah were secret sharers. They were each other's confidantes. They were a team, but then Super Spy (and super stallion) Daniel Shaw popped into their lives and ruined everything!

Chuck had been fixing things with Sarah. After Prague, and even in Prague, Chuck had known he had made the biggest mistake of his life.

Chuck was in the car driving furiously home. Wait no not home- they had bugs there. He needed a moment in private.

Chuck looked down at his watch. He ripped it off and threw it out the car window. He made a b line for his safe haven. It was his childhood home. No one owned it still.

Chuck parked in the driveway and let out a sign. He knew he'd get in serious trouble for taking his watch off. But, he didn't care anymore. Clearly Sarah loved Shaw and Chuck was again forever destined to be alone. Just like before the intersect.

"Stupid innersep." He slurred as he climbed the fence to get to the backyard. Once he reached the top the door swung open. "Sssstupid Shaw…. Shaw rah rah rah rah- rah rah - rah -rah." He started singing Shaw's name to a Christmas song. On the last 'rah' he fell off the fence and flopped on his back. "I think that would've hurt if I were sober."

Chuck got up and stumbled his way to the pool, unfortunately for him it had been drained. "Wul I Gus I Kent drown muself now." He said.

He started laughing to help himself as he climbed to the bottom of the pool. He sat down in the fallen leaves and black sludge the festered at the bottom.

A sharp corner of folded paper stabbed his thigh when he sat down. He pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. Chuck eyes moistened at the sight of the photo. Jeff had given it to him earlier that day.

Earlier that day

"Mornin' Jeff, Lester." He had nodded but they payed no attention. They were arguing over the shoe box Jeff was holding.

"C'mon Jeff share the love. I wanna see your stash." Lester had said.

"No, it's private." Jeff had whined.

Stash? Chuck had thought. That can't be good. If Big Mike finds drugs on store grounds they're both fired.

"Hey guys." Chuck had said warmly as he approached them. Jeff hid the box behind his back. "What do you have their Jeff?"

"Uh, nothing. It's private." Jeff stammered.

"Yeah, private." Lester chimed. "Move along." Lester Shooed Chuck.

"Okay, okay." Chuck put his hands up innocently. "But, if Big Mike finds your stash, you'll be fired. My advice, keep the weed off of Store property."

"Weed? Their pictures. Jeff here is an arteest." Lester made a the 'perfecto' gesture with his tiny hands.

"Lester! I told you to keep it a secret." Jeff grumbled.

"An artist? Hey that's great Jeff! Can I see some of your work?" Chuck beamed.

"You want to see my pictures?" Jeff questioned.

"Yeah!..." Chuck thought for a second. "As long as they're appropriate." He said.

"They're appropriate I just don't know if you'll like them." Jeff said shyly. He looked over to Lester. Lester squinted his eyes and nodded up and down. Jeff, with Lester's approval, handed the shoe box to Chuck.

Chuck opened the box to find a messy pile of printed photos. Most of which were of Anna but, one at the very top caught his eye. It was one of Sarah and him at the nerd herd desk. It was back before Prague, She was playing with his tie blushing, he was staring lovingly at her. He looked back up at jeff. "Jeff I have to admit, as stalker-y as these are they're very well framed shots. You have a real talent man. But, uh… do you think I could keep this one?" Chuck held up the one of him and Sarah.

"Of course, I have plenty of copies." Jeff smiled.

"That's not creepy at all." Chuck said to himself through smiling teeth.

Present day.

The rain came down hard,and Chuck was feeling like the weather. "Why him?" His said rather loudly to the air. He started at the picture, "I thought I knew you." He spoke to the picture. "I guess I was wrong." He threw the photo into the sludge. He took another sip of his drink and immediately spat it out. "Uh, I hate beer." He smashed the bottle. A pool of red was seeping under his leg. "Huh. I think I'm bleeding." He laughed to himself again.

"Saraaaaaaah!" He screamed to the sky. Tears fell from his eyes. "... Or should I say Sam…" He whispered to himself. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the picture he had just thrown. He picked it up, wiped it off, and stared at it again.

Something that not many people know about Chuck is that he has an exceptionally amazing voice. He often sings in the shower, the car, and basically anywhere but a public place. And at this moment Chuck thought of a song from his sister's second favorite movie 'Ghost'.

"OOOoohhhh, mYYYyy lOove MY DARlin' I HUNger For YOUR TOuch, A long LONEly Time." He started to sing. "And tiiiimmme goes by so SLOWly and TIIImme Can dooo SOooo Much ARE YOU STILL miiiIIIIINE?" His tears choked him up slightly. "IIII neeeed your love. IIIIiiiii need your love. Speed your love toooOOoOOH-OOH Meee." Chuck hugged his knees and hung his head.

"Jill, Lu, Jill again, now Sarah? When are you going to learn Bartowski. Love, just isn't for you." Chuck laid down on the concrete floor of the pool and looked up at the stars. "DON'T YOU THINK YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH FUN AT MY EXPENSE?!" Chuck yelled to the Universe.

Why am I so Upset anyway? It's not like this means Sarah is leaving me right? It just means that she trusts him more than me… Which means she probably loves him… Which means he'll probably be the one to convince her that marriage isn't so awful instead of me doing that… Which probably means that they'll have little babies that'll be like little superheroes… Then I will be alone as I watch them retire from the spy life, raise a couple kids, retire to Florida, and die in each other's arms. Meanwhile I'm in some government owned padded cell with doctors poking and prodding him for the interest files. Then I will die alone, the only person to attend my Funeral will be Morgan but, he's too busy on his rich wife's yacht to even notice that I died. Which means I probably won't even have a funeral, my cats will just eat me after I pass because no one ever checks on me to notice that I've died.

"I should've ran away with Jill, or dated Lu longer. I could be married right now." He said slightly angered, but he relaxed. "It wouldn't be the same. It will never be the same again. I blew it. This is my fault. I should've ran away with her in Prague. I should have given her a real kiss, gotten of that train, and run away with Sarah." Chuck was falling asleep. "This is my fault…" He managed to get out before exhaustion overcame him.

Morning.

Chuck woke up in the ditch, soar, dehydrated, hungover, and with blood staining his pant leg. He crawled out of the concrete pool and limped to the herder. He sat in the Driver's seat, closed the door, and put on his seat belt. As he grabbed the gear shifter stick he noticed it was unusually soft. "GAH-" He jumped in his seat when he saw Sarah sitting next to him.

"Chuck." She said softly.

"Save it. I'll pick up a new watch for you to bug at the buy more. You don't have to lecture me." He said refusing to look at her.

"That's not what I was going to say. I was going to apologize." She said softly again.

"For what?" He was angry, and that was clear but, he still played dumb.

"For the name thing… Look-" She was cut off.

"You know what?" He said almost aggressively through "You can save that too. Because clearly I should be sorry for eavesdropping on the secret I was told you could never share with anyone." His voice cracked an octave higher on that last word. He coughed to cover it and angrily started the car and backed out.

Sarah closed her eyes. She hated to see Chuck so hurt, but, what she had to say wouldn't register with him so angry. She would wait until he cooled off.

Chuck slammed on the brakes and put it in park. "Why him huh?!" He said so frustratingly. "Why not me? And don't give me that 'He's a spy and you're not' crap because I heard enough of that with the while Bryce thing."

"Because Chuck-" She was cut off again.

"Because why? Because you love him?!" He calmed down. Fear struck him. "Do you love him?"

"No." She said simply.

"Somehow that's worse." He said. And the look of hurt in his eyes overcame Sarah. She was speechless.

"Sarah…" He hung his head. "Sam… I- I…" Sarah waited. "I think you should drive. I'm still a little drunk." Chuck stepped out of the car and didn't look at her.

He sat in the passenger seat for the long ride home. He stared out the window, at the passing trees, the happy Children, the happy couples. He couldn't bare to look at it. He shut his eyes and tried to sleep.

He woke as the car stopped for gas. Sarah shook his shoulder to wake him up. "Chuck… Chuck " She said softly. He opened his eyes. "Do you mind getting me a drink while I fill up?"

Chuck looked at her with no emotion. "What would you like agent walker?" He said monotone.

"Chuck?"

"I don't think they carry that drink but I'll check." He slammed the door and trudged inside flipping his hood on to cover himself from the heavy heavy rain.

"Chuck wait." Sarah grabbed a jacket and chased after him. "Chuck!" She screamed.

"Yes, Agent Walker." He said slightly annoyed.

"Stop calling me that!" She stomped towards him.

"Well what should I call you then?!" He yelled back. "Because CLEARLY it's not Sarah anymore. And I don't know you're real name!"

"No. You don't." She said sternly.

"What?" Chuck sneered.

"It's not Sam Chuck." She said smiling.

Chuck rocked back onto his heels. "But - But you told Shaw…"

"A lie. I told him a lie. Chuck, i've been trying to tell you. We think Shaw is a ring operative. The ring had footage of Daniel's wife being murdered in a C.I.A. Red test. My C.I.A. red test. I killed Shaw's wife and we think the Ring used this information to recruit Shaw. The reason I lied about my real name with Shaw was so I could get close to him. Find out any information I can." Sarah took hold of Chuck's hands. She looking hi. In the eyes to make sure he was processing everything. "Chuck, I don't love Shaw." She waited for a response.

Chuck squeezed her hands and immediately brightened up. "You don't love Shaw?"

"I don't even like the guy." She smiled.

Chuck gave his classic crooked smile. He leaned in to kiss her but she stopped him.

"Chuck there's something else." She spoke hesitantly.

"What?" He asked concerned.

"My real name-"

"You don't have to tell me. I get it if you can't..."

Sarah grinned. "Well that's the best part My real name is Sarah. Sarah Lisa Burton." She huffed relieved to finally get that off of her chest.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Chuck asked.

"What." She was barely paying attention. She was staring at his lips.

"I like Sam better." He whispered.

She stared him down.

"One hundred percent kidding." He laughed.She punched his arm and he actually felt the pain. "Ow!" He laughed it off. "I said I was kidding." He rubbed his arm. "I love Sarah." He looked her in the eyes. "I love you Sarah."

She pulled herself into his arms and their faces were just inches away when she said, "I know." then she placed her lips on his.

Chuck was shocked by the Star wars quote and loved her even more for it.


	9. Chapter 9

Chuck vs. Death.

The sun was out, the sky was blue, it was a beautiful evening but, Sarah couldn't think of a reason to be happy. She had done something… Two months ago... Something unspeakable. Something that made her choke up at the thought. Something that had made her quit the C.I.A.. - Sarah…

Killed Chuck.

She was sitting on the beach. The same place Sarah had told Chuck that everything was going to be fine. The same place where she had lied.

Digging her fingers into the sand Sarah thought about that night. She had committed every detail of that moment to memory. The look on his face, Surprised, that was expected. Understanding, That was not. The way he tapped his chest to let her know it was alright, he knew it had to be done, that's what irked her most.

Sarah tilted her head back and let the sun warm her face. Next thing she knew she was in the car. She didn't know why and she didn't care.

Cruising down the highway she saw someone out of the corner of her eye. It was someone she knew but, couldn't make the connection… They had short brown curly hair, tall, lanky build, Converse sneakers… Sarah slammed on her brakes. She heard cars swearing around and thinking behind her. It can't be… She thought to herself. The person tinkered to look at the honking cars. Sarah saw their face, it was a woman. Sarah rocked her head back, exhaled, and hit the gas. Soon she was cruising again. But, the incident got her thinking… there's no way he could've… survived? Right?

She thought over the days following his death. There was him lying dead on the floor, him on the autopsy table… Cold, and his funeral, open casket. All of which she attended and knew for a fact he was dead. A tear escaped from her eye. Her hope had vanished, her theory impossible.

She thought back to the autopsy.

"I can't believe he's gone." Sarah had said over Chuck's lifeless body.

"I don't see how you can't, after all you were the one who pulled the trigger." Casey said bitterly.

Sarah turned to face him. "I was following orders."

Casey grunted, "Orders, right. The one word that justifies the death of an innocent man." He retorted.

"Don't pretend like you actually cared for him." Sarah whispered.

"I won't if you won't."

Sarah turned to face him. "You would've done the exact same thing in my shoes. The only reason you're angry is because Beckman asked me to do it and you're jealous."

"Jealous? Chuck was a hero. He was our friend. Heck! I'm pretty sure he was the love of your life!... I'm not jealous. I'm disappointed." Casey glanced at Chuck on the operation table. "You are a true American hero Bartkowski." He saluted and walked out.

Sarah had rocked back on her heels. Never in Casey's humblest of moments would he call Chuck his friend. Tears fell from her eyes.

The autopsy was the last time Sarah had ever seen Casey. In fact, immediately after their fight Sarah resigned from the C.I.A.

Sarah had gotten off the highway out of instinct. She didn't even realize where she was headed until it was too late. She had parked in front of the Echo Park apartment complex that she had come to know as a second home, or, better yet, a first home, seeing as how it was the only one she's ever really known.

It was a night now, that meant the Bartowski's were at the hospital for the graveyard shift. That also meant nobody was home… Sarah got an idea.

She crept up to the window, on the off chance that Casey still lived next door, which was unlikely seeing as how he would have been assigned to another mission in another part of the world by now.

Sarah lightly tapped the window and it swung open. "Thank you, Morgan door." Sarah whispered. As she entered the room she saw that nothing had changed. Every little detail was untouched. It almost felt like he was still living here. I guess Ellie and Awesome wanted to preserve what he left behind. Sarah thought.

She dragged her fingers along the covers, still warm. She remember the night they had spent together for cover.

"You call me out on lighting a few candles and you come in wearing that?!" Chuck said.

"What, this? It's for cover." She had defended herself but, in reality she just wanted the night to feel real. Like they were really dating.

"Well it doesn't cover a thing." He retorted.

Sarah laughed at the memory. But, she then remember that, later that day she had told them, under the influence of truth serum, that they would never be together. She had regretted telling him that. But, at the time it was necessary not to compromise herself. Looking back, that didn't seem to matter anymore.

She brought the comforter up to her face, it still smelled like Chuck, it felt the same as before. She crawled under the sheets, imaging that he was only in the bathroom about to enter back into her life. Imaging that he would come in, Find her here, act as if it was normal, and crawl into bed next to her. There he would hold her and tell her that everything that had happened was just a bad dream.

She sighed and fell asleep in the comfort of Chuck's memory.

"I don't know I just found her here this morning!" He urgently whispered. "What do we do?!"

"We don't do anything. You need to leave before she wakes up. And I will take care of the rest." Said the other.

Sarah had woken up to a conversation over head. Sarah recognized the voice and reluctantly opened her teary eyes. "Chuck?" Her voice cracked on the word.

"Leave now, I'll trans her and she won't remember." Casey said.

"Excuse Me?" Sarah said and was ignored.

"No! We're not going to trans her. Besides… isn't she trained to withstand trans and all that?" Chuck saved his hands.

Sarah got out of the bed and started walking towards him. "Wo, wo, wo. Don't touch him Walker." Casey warned pointing the trans gun at her. But, that didn't stop her, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. "You're real right?" She said, her voice muffled by the fact that her face was buried in his shirt.

"Yes, I'm real." Chuck said, stroking her hair.

"Chuck!" Casey said through gritted teeth and wide eyes.

"Casey let's just tell her. She's not part of the C.I.A. anymore." Chuck pleaded.

"It's your death." Casey said.

"Can… we have a moment?" Chuck hinted to Casey.

"Fine." He grunted as he left the room.

Chuck walked over to the bed and they sat down. Sarah looked at him as he was about to explain but, knowing he was unlikely to forgive her, she decided to catch him off guard. This way she would leave with no regrets if asked. She kissed him. Nothing big, but certainly nothing small. She simply pressed her lips to his, breathed him in, and pulled away, "Sorry…" She said while Chuck sat stunned. "For never doing that before."

"Well not never," He said almost whispering, clearly still stunned. "There was that time at the docks-"

"There was a bomb about to blow then."

"There was that time in front of Roan." Chuck said.

"That was for a mission." Sarah said.

"I was under the impression that those were real, not just… for cover or whatever." Chuck said, hurt broadcasting all over his face.

"They were." Sarah said placing her hand on his. "I just wanted to give you a kiss that you could never doubt."

"How do I know that that kiss wasn't a way of asking forgiveness for shooting me, or even a way of controlling me." Chuck asked his mood jumping from stunned to frustrated

"Because I can ask for forgiveness myself." Sarah said. "But, I won't."

"Why?" Chuck asked.

"Because I don't deserve it." Sarah said simply.

"Don't you?" Chuck said.

"Of- Of course not… I'm sorry. Am I missing something? Shouldn't you be more… I don't know… angry? I mean I did kill you after all." Sarah asked confused.

"Except you didn't kill me." Chuck smiled comfortingly.

"Yeah, but, I didn't know that!" Sarah said frustratedly.

"Sarah, when you shot me, I tapped my chest." Chuck said.

"So?" Sarah asked wondering how this was relevant.

"Sooo. You didn't shoot my chest. You, shot my shoulder. I had a Bullet proof vest on, I explain why later. But, you didn't know that. If you had know that you would've shot my chest." Chuck explained.

"I'm still confused."

"You didn't know I had a vest." Chuck smiled.

"And…?!" Sarah was getting impatient.

"So why didn't you shoot me in the heart? You are an expert marksman, you were in close range, you should've shot my chest but, you didn't. Why?!" Chuck interrogated.

"I don't know why!" Sarah pleaded rushing to her feet.

"Why?! Why didn't you try to kill me?!" Chuck was frustrated that she wouldn't answer. He too jumped to his feet.

"Because!-"

"Because why?!" Chuck insisted.

"Because at the last second I decided not to kill you!" At this point tears were running down her face. "Because I love you! I love your stupid face and you're stupid jokes, and the way you don't care who I am because you're such a stupidly good guy! Because I love you!" Sarah breathed. "But- but I was too late I had killed you and you were on the ground bleeding, you were gone." Sarah was barely whispering now.

Chuck smiled warmly. "And that's why there's no reason to forgive you. Because, in the end, you did nothing wrong." He lovingly wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. "By the way… I love your stupid face too." Chuck smiled and kissed her forehead as he stroked her hair.

Sarah pulled away from his arms. "Tell me why you had a Bullet proof vest on." She commanded with that one eyebrow thing she does.

"About that, I kind of... knew you were going to shoot me." Chuck shrugged defensively.

"You knew?" Sarah said fear stricken.

"Okay… where to start?" Chuck asked himself. "I figured out that Fulcrum had recruited the new C.I.A. director and that She was working on recruiting you. I told Casey and suggested that we tell you but, he suggested we wait and find out if you had already been turned. Somehow The new director found out and ordered a hit on me. So Casey made me wear a Bulletproof vest 24/7 for like two weeks. When you pulled out your gun that night I was surprised. I figured Fulcrum had recruited you and you were fulfilling the hit. But-" Chuck paused.

"But, what?" Sarah asked.

"I saw doubt in your eyes. I knew you weren't going to kill me. That's why I tapped my chest, I was trying to hint to you that it was a safe place to shoot. But, you didn't get the message and you shot my shoulder instead. That's when I knew that you weren't Fulcrum. Then you quit the C.I.A. and I knew for sure" Chuck smiled.

"But, why fake your death?" Sarah asked.

"Because otherwise I would still have a hit on my back." Chuck shrugged.

"Okay, but, you're out in the open now, how does the new C.I.A. director not know that?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, yeah Casey and I gathered enough evidence against the new director to present to Beckmen and she whether the troops and they arrested him. Now there's a new, new director."

"Well that's good." Sarah said awkwardly. They were silent for a moment. "Uh, I better go."

"Or," Chuck suggested. "... Do you want to stay for dinner? Devon's making Fajitas."

"Ellie and Devon don't know that I shot you right?" Sarah asked.

"Right. But, they know about everything else. The C.I.A. the whole sha-bang. Beckmen gave me the go-ahead after I help bring down the new director. She also made me an official member of the C.I.A." Chuck smiled.

"That's amazing, Chuck. I remember how hard it was for you to lie to them. Did they take it well?" Sarah asked.

"Ellie was worried but I calmed her down, Second and Morgan were all for it." Chuck said rather quickly. "You didn't answer my question."

Sarah breathed. "I would love to stay for dinner."

Later that night:

Chuck walked Sarah out after having said goodbye to everyone. They all seemed happy to see her. "Can I ask you something?" Chuck said.

"Sure." Sarah smiled as they stopped in front of the fountain. She had so many fond memories of the courtyard

"Where are we?" Chuck said.

"In the courtyard. Did you hit your head?" Sarah said.

"No, I meant. Where are we?... You know relationship wise." Chuck took Sarah's hand.

"Chuck you're part if the C I.A. now. I'm a civilian." Sarah said.

"The Irony's not lost on me." Chuck said to himself. "If you could have your job back, not so you could be with me but, because you love your job, would you take it?" Chuck asked.

"I suppose I would. If I never had to shoot you again." Sarah said. "But, that's not going to happen."

Chuck put up a finger. And called someone on speed dial. "It's Bartowski, I need one last favor." There was some mumbling in the phone. "It's about Walker- yes, how did you know?- Well yes, -no not because of me,- well I asked her.- Is that a yes?" There was some more mumbling through the phone Chuck grinned wildy. "Thank you, General." Chuck said before he hung up.

"Did you just get my job back?" Sarah asked.

"The General is really happy with me right now." Chuck smiled.

"Do I get to stay in Burbank?" Sarah asked her eyes growing wide with excitement.

"You would still be my handler. I'm still an agent in training technically." Chuck shrugged. "I hope that's okay."

Sarah huffed in amusement. "You never cease to amaze me Charles Bartowski."

"Now you're an agent, and… I'm an agent. That brings me back to my first question. Where are we?"

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Sarah grinned.

"Well, barring any national security threats, nothing."

"How about a date?" Sarah took both of Chuck's hands.

"Like, our first real date?" Chuck smiled excitedly.

"More like a sequel to our second first date." Sarah smiled, unknowingly moving her face closer to his

"Sounds like a plan." He said breathlessly before they kissed again. It wasn't complicated or even very long. It was soft and sweet and simple. It was the first kiss they had had where they both know what was going on in the other's head. It was real.


	10. Chapter 10

Chuck vs. A good mood

Ed. Note: this one isn't that long but, it just kind of was something I wanted to write after seeing the events of Chuck vs. the First date and the whole Intersect exploding thing. It just always irked me that Chuck was upset that the Intersect exploded I mean, his life is significantly better because of the intersect, he has real purpose now and he has Sarah and If the Intersect had gone online than all of that would have gone away. PLUS, Casey would've shot him and while, he didn't know that at the time, I would say it would definitely be in the cons column. As far as I can tell the only downside of keeping the intersect is hang to lie to Ellie but, everything else seems to out way that one negative with a million positives. GAH! Why can't Chuck just be grateful for the darn thing and get over it! Well, now that my rant is over, This is a story about Sarah being grateful for the intersect explosion, ( minus the whole, Graham dying thing ) P.S. =10000 points for whoever acutlly reads the editor notes.

"Sarah, are you alright?" Chuck asked.

"Yeah, why?" She replied distracted. Something about her mood was throwing Chuck.

"I don't know. You seem… Giddy. What I mean is, you don't seem yourself." Chuck said as he spun her around. They were dancing, not to get close to a target, not to get a better look at the security camera's, no, they were dancing for fun. Sarah and Chuck were on a double date with Ellie and Devon.

Now Chuck wasn't much of a dancer but, when Captain Awesome had called him out on not being adventurous enough, and Chuck wasn't able to divulge any information on his activities with the C.I.A., Sarah had thought it best to prove Devon wrong on the dance floor.

She dragged Chuck by the wrist having explained/lied to Devon about Chuck and herself taking 'dance lessons' for the past month or so. Chuck, feeling uncomfortable, but determined to prove Devon wrong, played along.

Now they were dancing, Sarah leading of course, and Chuck was having a hard time understanding Sarah's overly exuberant disposition.

"Am I not allowed to be happy?" Sarah asked lightheartedly.

"Of course you are, I just don't see any reason for it. I mean, we just lost the Cypher and the whole intersect computer Console with it. Which we both know means, I won't get this thing out of my head and we… Well we can never be together…" Chuck still felt uncomfortable discussing their relationship. With the serious lack of a D.T.R. neither Chuck nor Sarah knew where the other stood in regards to their feeling for one another. Chuck could only hope that all the flirting going on between them was real, that she really wanted to be with him but, well, he could never tell with her.

Sarah looked at Chuck with understanding eyes but, her mood had yet to differ from its current course straight to sunshine and lolipoville.

"Are you back with Bryce? Is that why you're so happy all of the sudden?" He asked as Sarah dipped him, reminding him of the time that He and La Ciudad had tango-ed making him all the more glad that it was Sarah he was dancing with.

"I'm not back together with Bryce. How many times do I have to tell you that Bryce is a thing of the past before you believe me?" Sarah laughed, the sound made Chuck think of wind Chimes.

"42." Chuck said Sarcastically. "Will you just tell me?"

"Hm… no." Sarah smiled, Chuck couldn't help but smile in return. Her attitude was infectious.

He looked down momentarily to protect himself from her devilishly amused grin and noticed something. "You know… for someone who's got two left feet, you dance surprisingly well." Chuck chuckled.

Sarah followed his eyes to the floor to see that she had two left shoes on. Sarah laughed.

"How are your feet not killing you?" Chuck asked curious.

"I don't know how I missed that. I must have been pretty distracted this morning." She said as if it were no big deal.

"Sarah I'm worried. Did someone drug you? You're never this energetic and the Sarah _I_ know is _never_ distracted. What's going on, you can tell me." Chuck said stopping, effectively ending their dance.

"You want to know what going on?" Sarah whispered.

"Yes, please."

"I'm perfectly happy. Chuck, if the intersect had been functioning properly, I would've been sent away, sent somewhere far away from here. But, now that the intersects gone and seeing how it's going to take a while to rebuild, I get to stay. And well, I like it here so, I'm happy, I'm really," Her voice got softer as she stepped closer, "Really," She was less than a breath away from his face now, she could nearly hear his heartbeat, "Happy." She gently wrapped her fingers around the not of his tie and pulled him in for a quick soft kiss before she let him go.

"He guys, Devon and I were thinking about getting some ice cream, maybe going home and watching Casablanca?" Ellie had said nearly appearing from nowhere.

"Sounds like fun!" Sarah beamed and followed Ellie towards the exit where Devon was waiting. Chuck was still in Shock, over their kiss, and the conversation but, mostly the kiss. He pressed his fingers to his lips before he quickly followed and caught up to Sarah and Ellie.


	11. Chapter 11

Ed. note

Dear… person who wrote the review about why Chuck is justified in hating the intersect. I read your review and I see the validity in the points you made. I wrote this fic in response. I think it's more realistic than my last one. This one better represents the hate/love relationship Chuck has with the intersect, at least in my opinion. Keep in mind, I'm still biased towards him liking having the intersect because it brought him Sarah but, I try to address your points.

Enjoy!

Sarah and Chuck sat in the surveillance van , and Casey sat in the front ready to be a getaway driver if needed. Bryce was inside the building taking out guards, doing ninja flip, all the while making Sarah laugh with well timed quips.

Chuck's stomach churned at the sight. Bryce had the looks, the suave, the exciting career, and, most importantly, the girl. (Or so Chuck thought) All Chuck had going for him was his Quips, now Bryce was taking that from him too.

Quip stealer. Chuck thought.

He couldn't be mad though, Bryce was a great guy. Maybe he could be mad if Bryce had gotten Chuck kicked out of college to cover up Bryce's own cheating but, no, he had to get him kicked out to save him.

At this exact moment in time, Chuck was positively devastated.

At, least I get to be in the van with Sarah. He thought trying to cheer up. But, Sarah was paying no mind to him, she was focused on Bryce.

Chuck drew his attention back to the task at hand, The mission, 'the super secret mission where Bryce shows off his ninja-ness then runs away with Sarah into the sunset on the back of a griffin' was Chuck's current working title.

Chuck slouched in his chair and sighed under his breath when he saw Bryce do a back hand spring to take down the two guards in front of him.

Sarah watched Bryce parkour his way to wherever it is he was going. Beckman had been vague on the details, all she was told was to sit in the van and make sure Bryce completed his mission.

Sarah was a little bitter towards this particular assignment. She was offended that Beckmen felt she needed to call in Bryce all the way from Thailand, for what seemed to be a simple infiltrate and retrieve. Heck Chuck could accomplish a mission as simple as this!

Sarah thought about it a moment and mentally corrected herself. Only because Chuck isn't as well "equipped" to handle the various... difficulties thrown at an agent in the field... Not because he is so incompetent that he can only accomplish simple missions. She thought.

Sarah sighed, when you start protecting an asset from your own thoughts… That's when you know you've been working too hard.

She noticed Chuck sigh, albeit quietly, to himself. She looked at him looking at the screen and came to two possible conclusions for Chuck's suddenly melancholy mood. One, is that he is in love with the surveillance monitor and is gazing deeply into its electronic eyes. Or two, Bryce's presence is bringing out the worst of Chuck's insecurities.

Sarah placed her hand carefully on the table. She looked over to Casey, he was listening to Bryce's audio, oblivious to the world around him. Good. She thought. Next she checked if Chuck's hand was on the table as well, it was.

Hopefully this would cheer Chuck up.

She reached for her water bottle which was next to Chuck, took a swig and set it down as close to Chuck's hand as possible, quickly, as not to draw attention the ridiculous amount of care she was putting into this simple gesture, she let her hand fall off her water bottle and right next to Chuck's hand. The sides of their hands were barely touching.

Chuck felt, what he suspected to be Sarah's hand, graze his hand. He glanced quickly out of the corner of his eye to confirm, it was Sarah's hand alright. He waited for her to remove it, or apologize for being awkward and then remove it, Or something, anything. But, she didn't budge. Was she not aware of what was going on?

This is usually the time where Sarah explains why the gesture she just made is in no way an indicator of feelings of any kind.

Despite not moving her hand away from his, he knew better than to think that this gesture had any meaning behind it.

To save himself from further confusion he moved his hand away from the danger zone and back into the friend zone.

Sarah felt Chuck slide away. Clearly he was unaware that she was trying to comfort him. She tried another strategy. She tapped her knee against his and gave him a smile of reassurance.

"It will be over soon." She said warmly.

"What?" Bryce said over the Com link.

"I asked if this will be over soon." Sarah covered.

"Patience is a virtue Sarah. But, if I remember right your not all that-"

Sarah turned her com off annoyed. Bryce had been making sly remarks to the intimate details of their past relationship all day. Maybe he was reacting as a territorial thing. Maybe he was feeling threatened by Chuck. HAH! The irony. Chuck feeling insecure around Bryce, Bryce feeling insecure around Chuck. If only Chuck knew.

"What are you doing tonight?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know, maybe steal some high end cars, punch a hooker." He said nonchalantly.

"What?!" Sarah asked concerned.

"It's a video game, Grand Theft Auto. It's more than likely my night will consist of Morgan, Grape soda, and video games. Why do you ask?" Chuck said.

"I just thought… We haven't really been on a cover date in a while." Sarah suggested.

"Ellie and Awesome already think I'm out to dinner with you right now." Chuck said returning his gaze to the monitor where Bryce was stealing a microchip.

"That not what I-" Sarah was cut off when Chuck's eyes rolled to the back of his head.

A turtle on a lilypad.

A plane crash.

Images and files of a microchip.

Some sunglasses.

Files and files of information being stored.

A diagram of the glasses flashing information in front of a subject.

The plane crash.

The turtle again.

"Bryce, is that an intersect update?" Chuck started to worry. "It's the chip that goes in those sunglasses you gave me!"

"Not now Chuck, I'll explain in the van."

Bryce stood in the vault, the weight sensors had just noticed the microchip had been removed. The vault door was swinging shut. Bryce sprinted and slid into home base through the vault door.

He stood up to find a legion of guards in his way. He adjusted to a fighting stance. "Alright… Who's first."

The guards came swarming around him and Bryce took them out two at a time. Out of the corner of his eye though he saw bars coming down by the exit.

"Chuck." Bryce said through his com link.

"Are you going to explain what you plan to do with that microchip?" Chuck said.

"As soon as I get out of here. But, I need a favor first." Bryce spoke evenly as he took out a few more guards.

"Not until you tell me whats going on." Chuck said firmly.

"Chuck! Not now! I'm about to get locked in. I need you to stop the bars from locking into place." Punch, punch, kick, kick.

"You promise to tell me?"

"CHUCK FORGET THE CHIP. I'm running out of time!"

Chuck pulled up a window, typed a few lines of code in, hit enter and pesto ravioli, the gates lifted. "Done. Now hurry, because you have a lot of explaining to do." Chuck grunted. Chuck turned off his com link and stood up trying to stretch.

"Are you okay?" Sarah approached gently.

"No! I'm not okay. I thought we were all on the same side! I thought Beckmen was working on getting these secrets out of my head, not stuffing more in!" Chuck slicked his hair back and leaned over holding g his knees as he let out a Hugh of air. He looked up at Sarah. "I thought of all people you wanted these secrets out as much as I do." He said.

"Me?! Chuck I didn't know about this! I had know idea what we were retrieving, and trust me when. I say, if I had I would have NEVER taken part in this operation!" Sarah stressed defending herself.

"That's probably why Beckmen called in Bryce for this. She knows if either of us had known about the chip we would never let it get to Chuck." Casey chimed in from the driver's seat.

"Well she's right about one thing, I won't let that chip anywhere near Chuck." Sarah said.

Sarah looked to Chuck, he was sitting on the floor of the van looking distraught. She kneeled beside him, taking his hand. "I won't." She reaffirmed.

Chuck looked up to her beside him. "I don't want another update Sarah. This thing in my head, it's - it's keeping me from-"

"From having any of the things you want." Sarah finished.

"From having any of the things in need." He corrected, squeezing her hand. Sarah wondered if he meant her.

Bryce entered the back of the van taking carefully placed steps towards Chuck. Chuck stood up. "Bryce I'm not letting you update-"

Bryce had formed a fist with his hand, and clocked Chuck square in the jaw, effectively knocking him out.

"Chuck!" Sarah was startled. She feel the the ground next to Chuck and started attending to his quickly swelling jaw. "What the crap Bryce?" Sarah swung a fist at him but, he caught it.

"It's the only way." Bryce said putting the microchip inside the sunglasses.

Sarah stepped in front of Bryce. "I won't let you."

"Get out of the way Sarah, this isn't about you." Bryce warned.

Sarah pulled her tranq gun. "And I'm warning you, step away from him." Sarah said firmly and furiously.

"I'd do what she says." Casey chimed.

"Sarah, the data in his head is wearing off." Bryce explained.

"What?" Sarah said deflated, and somewhat disappointed.

"That's an interesting reaction for someone who doesn't want the intersect in his head." Bryce noted. Sarah stiffened. "Just as I thought, you do want the intersect in his head."

"Sarah is that true?" A semi conscious Chuck asked for. The dirty van floor.

Sarah kneeled, yet again, beside Chuck. She took his jaw in her hands examining the quickly bruising point of impact. Chuck pushed her hand away feeling betrayed. "Is it true?" He asked again.

Sarah sighed. "Yes but-"

"But what?! I thought we were on the same side! I thought… I thought you wanted me to have everything I've ever wanted…" Chuck said sadly.

"Chuck, you don't understand. If you don't have the intersect then I get reassigned to the farthest place from here. Chuck, I want you to be happy so I'll support whatever decision you make but… I want to stay here, with you… The only way that happens is if you continue to be the most important intelligence asset in the world… if you stay the intersect." Sarah said.

Chuck looked into her eyes for a long moment.

"I'm not going to update…" he looked back at Sarah. "I'm sorry Sarah."

Sarah sat on her heels, her world falling apart. She stood up without saying a word and sat in the passenger's seat. "Let's go, we can talk over what to do next with Beckmen." Sarah said to Casey. Casey started the car and drove off.

They rode in silence.

Chuck looked at his hands, then at his feet. He felt the gravity of what he had said to Sarah.

"Hey, sorry for clocking you back there. My orders were any means necessary, I would have tranqued you but,... I know how much you hate needles so…" Bryce said

Great, even when Bryce punches you in the face he is still trying to save you. "Thanks." Chuck spat Sarcastically.

Chuck wasn't paying much attention to Bryce though. He couldn't stop staring at Sarah, he saw the cracks in the mask she wore. He could tell she devastated. What have I done? He thought.

Bryce followed Chuck's gaze to Sarah. "Can I ask you something?"

"You just did." Chuck was being bitter. He didn't like it when he was bitter. He decided to switch to indifference. "What?"

"Why do you hate the intersect so much? Look at what it's done to your life! You have an exciting job, you're surrounded by friends and an extremely beautiful woman who is very into you by the way, and you get to do things that most people can only dream of. I've got to know. What makes it so bad?" Bryce said.

"The lying. The constant putting myself in danger. It really all comes down to Ellie and Morgan. I can't stand lying to them and I really can't stand that I'm getting good at it. You know me, I've always been mister honest and open, the talk-about-everything-and-anything guy. Now I'm a liar, and it's affecting my relationships. And going out every night, a new mission, a new cover, that's all fun until you realize that, if you die tonight the last words you said to your sister were a lie…" Chuck sighed. "I'm not built for this life Bryce, I'm not built for a double life."

Bryce nodded his head processing g what Chuck was saying. "You're an idiot." He said plainly.

"What?"

"You heard me. You're an idiot. The most beautiful girl in the world is falling head over heals for you and you're letting her go because you're sister thinks you're working an extra shift at the Buy More instead of saving the world?" Bryce said.

"Yes…" Chuck suddenly seemed unsure of his own logic.

"Chuck! If Willie were hear what would she say?" Bryce said.

"Holy crap Bryce is alive?" Chuck took a shot. Bryce face went sour. "She's say 'get off your but and go get the girl.'..." Chuck conceded. "Give me the glasses." Chuck huffed.

Bryce handed the glasses over to Chuck. "There's a couple things you should know. First, this version won't wear off, second you won't ever have to update again. The Information will be transferred via an implant."

"What implant?" Chuck asked.

"This implant." Bryce said as he swung a syringe with a nano chip inside into Chuck's neck.

"Ow!" Chuck said rubbing his neck.

"Are you sure you want to do this? There's no turning back." Bryce said.

"Are you kidding me? You just spent the last ten minutes convincing me to do it and now you're trying to convince me otherwise?!" Chuck said.

Bryce shrugged. "What can I say, I love being the devil's advocate."

Chuck looked at the glasses, then he looked at Sarah in the front seat. He sighed and put the glasses on. The glasses bitter up, did a rental scan, then proceeded to flash I.aged across the lenses. After about twenty minutes of that, Chuck passed out.

Casey pulled the van into the Buy More Plaza parking lot. Sarah was stepping out of the van when Bryce called out to her. "Hey, Sarah can you help me with this?"

Sarah walked to the back of the van, she wasn't excited to see Chuck after what just went down. But, when equipment has to be unloaded, what can you do? She opened the back doors to find Chuck lifeless on the ground. "What the heck Bryce?!" Bryce handed her Chuck's feet. Together they carried Chuck all the way the passenger seat of the herder.

"He passed out after the update." Bryce said nonchalantly.

"You forced him to update?!" Sarah huffed. "Some friend!" She said sarcastically.

"I didn't force him. I may have tried to convince him a little bit but, he decided for himself that this is what he wanted." Bryce said had she put the seatbelt around Chuck's unconscious self."

"What did you say." Sarah said raising an eyebrow.

"I just told him some things are worth sacrificing everything to keep in your life… I just wish I had learned that for myself before you let me go." He said switching his gaze fro. Chuck to Sarah.

"Bryce, you're going to find someone special someday and forget all about me." Sarah said reassuringly.

"You think?" He asked.

"I know. Maybe you'll even find a cute little civilian to settle down with." Sarah said placing a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"You mean like you?" He suggested.

Sarah looked at an unconscious Chuck. "Yeah… like me." She smiled.

Sarah gave the Porsche keys to Bryce and they hugged goodbye. Sarah then got the herder keys from Chuck's shirt pocket and got in the driver's seat. She took another look at Chuck and thought about everything he had given up for her… she decided that maybe she should give a something back. She leaned in towards his face and gave him a soft kiss. His eyes fluttered open. "Thank you." He said drifting back into semi-unconsciousness.

Sarah tried her best to wake Chuck up. There was no way she could carry his 6'2" body into the living room without anyone noticing.

"Chuck, Chuck." She shook his shoulder. "Wake up we're home." Sarah reflected on her word. 'we're home' she mouthed. Chuck's place was the only place she had ever really felt at home. She suspected it had less to do with the place and more to do with the person. You're my home. She thought looking at a sleepy Chuck. "Okay, if you're not going to wake up I'm going to have to revert to drastic measures."

"The fun kind of drastic measures?" He asked with closed eyes.

"No. The kind where I use that little bit of information you gave me about Ellie being able to extract information at will… something about your toes being… extra ticklish." She said mischievously.

Chuck opened an eye "You wouldn't." Sarah nodded, eyes wide, biting her lip. "You crafty little minx." Chuck unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car as fast as he could.

Chuck knocked on the window. Sarah rolled it down. "Are you coming in?"

"No, it's getting late. I think I better get some sleep." She said.

"Okay but… um… you see. This is a company car and technically you aren't allowed to drive it." He said. "Plus how am I supposed to get to work tomorrow?"

Sarah understood. "You know nothing can happen right?"

"I know." He reassured her. "We can just watch a movie or something, I'll even sleep on the couch if you want."

"Well… we don't want Ellie and Devon to think we're fighting…" Sarah hinted. She contemplated the repercussions and found that there were none if nothing happened like Chuck promised.

Sarah got out of the car and Chuck wrapped a loving arm around her shoulders. She buried her head in his chest and they walked in the door. It smelled amazing. ELLIE MADE TACOS!

That's right. I'm ending it on tacos! If you don't like it, DEAL WITH IT. Tacos are friggin amazing!


	12. Chapter 12

Castle

"What. Happened?!" the general asked furious.

"I- I… Uh…" Sarah stuttered.

Chuck stood up, "Uh, general, Sarah hit her head, I don't know if she can remember what happened."

Sarah sighed in relief, she had no idea what had gone wrong and wasn't prepared to face Beckmen. Luckily Chuck had come to her rescue.

Beckmen huffed most of her frustration away. "Sarah, go get some medical attention. Chuck, maybe you can fill me in on the utter failure that was this morning's mission?" She said still frustrated but, in a more even tone.

"Yes, M'am." Chuck said. "Why don't you head over to the medical bay, I'll meet you there in a second." Chuck said softly to Sarah.

Sarah nodded, woozy from the simple motion.

Once Sarah left the room Chuck finished briefing Beckmen. "General, we had Gustav dead to rights until a mysterious gas started falling from the air vents. While we were momentarily distracted Gustav had knocked Sarah out and held her as a human shield until he had successfully fled the Buy More. We, in good conscience, couldn't fire on Gustav without knowingly endangering Sarah." Chuck stated plainly.

"Is the gas cleared from the store?" The general asked.

"We suspect so, Casey is doing a further analysis now. Though, no one has shown any sign of symptoms."Chuck was speaking like a soldier and it was throwing the General off.

"Well, good. I'll expect a written report tomorrow. And… Bartowski, next time the world's most notorious arms dealer is evading capture, take the shot, I don't care who's being threatened." The general rose her eyebrow as if to ask 'are we clear?'

"If I may-" Chuck was cut off.

"You may not. Chuck, being a spy means favoring greater over good, taking a look at the big picture, not governing yourself based on emotion. One agent's life isn't worth the lives of the countless civilians Gustav's weapons deals will take-" this time Chuck was the one to interrupt.

"With all do respect" He said sternly, "Sarah is your top agent and by the 'Greater Good' doctrine, you are all so fond of, saving Sarah's life is the greatest good. Sarah is your best weapon and losing your best weapon just to win one battle isn't worth losing the entire war." He argued very passionately. He worried he had been to blunt with the general. Usually he took a step back after the first time she shot him down.

Beckmen was silent. "Very well" She said slowly. "Go help 'our best weapon' make a full recovery. You have 48 hours to re-acquire mister Gustave before I bench this team." Beckmen signed off.

Chuck sighed running a hand through his thick curls. He made his way over to the med bay. "Hey."

"Hey." Sarah said droopy eyed.

Chuck noticed how tired she looked. "You can't fall asleep, you might have a concussion. And, while sleeping beauty is my favorite Disney movie, I would prefer my fake ex girlfriend conscious." He smirked.

"Really? Sleeping beauty is your favorite?" Sarah raised an eyebrow smirking back.

"Oh yeah!" He beamed. "Ellie had it on repeat back in middle school."

"Huh, I don't really have a favorite Disney movie." Sarah contemplated if she had ever actually seen one.

"I think yours would be Hercules, or maybe Mulan." Chuck speculated.

"Why Hercules? I mean I get Mulan, that's the one where the chick becomes a ninja or something right?"

"Yeah, sort of." He laughed.

"Why Hercules though?" Sarah persisted.

"I don't know, you might not like it at all but, it's about a geeky, clumsy boy who has a talent he has no control over. He goes to find himself, gets trained by the best trainer and becomes a legend. But, something's missing, he…" Chuck coughed, "Finds a beautiful girl named Meg who, well let's just says rejects him at first but, eventually sees the good in him and well… falls... for him. A couple of other things happen, but, the gist of it is, Hercules couldn't be a true hero until Meg helped him find his purpose… Her." He was uncomfortable with the barrelled between Hercules and his own life, he felt like he was over sharing again like he often did with Sarah.

"Sounds like a good one." She smiled softly.

Chuck's heart burst right then and there.

Casa Bartowski

Chuck opened the door to his room to find a pacing Morgan. "Hey buddy?" Chuck said taking off his buy more blazer and setting down his keys. "Something wrong?"

"Chuck." Morgan stopped pacing. "I'm a terrible friend."

Chuck sighed. "It's fine, I can get another Black ops for free with my Buy More points." Chuck sat on the bed.

"That's, no. This is serious Chuck!" Morgan whined.

"What did you do?" Chuck asked curious.

"It's not what I did, Its what I want to do." Morgan started lacing again.

"You've got to be more specific."

"I'm in love with Sarah!" Morgan burst out. He immediately clasped a hand over his mouth.

Chuck stop up suddenly. "Wha-what? My- my Sarah? My Sarah?"

"Well, technically not anymore since you broke up." His hand clasped back over his mouth. He slapped his arms down to his side's and shut his eyes tight. "You can punch me now."

Chuck took a deep breath. "Relax, I'm- I won't punch you."

Morgan opened only one eye to check. "You're not mad?"

"No! No… Well, I'm a little mad. But, I can't blame you." Chuck sat back down on his bed.

"Why not? I would if I were you." Morgan suggested, sitting next to him.

"Well… what's not to love? You know. She's smart, she's beautiful, ever so slightly intimidating and completely out of our league…" Chuck lost himself in his thoughts. "Point is, I understand where you are coming from." Chuck patted Morgan's back.

"So… you won't be mad if I… Try and…" Morgan wiggled his eyebrows.

"As disgusted as that makes me… No. Plus, I have a feeling she's focusing on her career right now." Chuck muttered that last part under his breath.

"Dude! I knew you would understand! I have to come up with an approach!" Morgan ran out the window.

"Okay then…" Chuck fell back onto his bed. "That was different."

Buy more

Chuck was focused on the clipboard in his hands when the perverted giggles of Jeff and Lester pulled him from his trance. "Hey guys." He approached cautiously. "Whatcha got there?"

"Nothing!" Lester said startled. He quickly hid the camera he was holding behind his back.

"C'mon guys, you know big mike doesn't like you taking pictures of the customers."

"She's not a customer, at least, she's not buying anything you're selling." Jeff said.

Lester elbowed him to shut up. "What does that even mean?" Lester said through his teeth, his voice high, speaking as if Chuck couldn't hear him.

"Give it up Lester." Chuck folded his arms.

"Give what up?" He said passing the camera to Jeff.

"Jeff, Give me the camera." Chuck said like a disappointed dad.

Jeff reluctantly gave the camera to Chuck. "Thank you. Now let's see what you're hiding." Chuck flipped through the photos, he immediately recognized the face. "You guys are taking pictures of Sarah?" Chuck said quietly.

"I'm in love." Jeff shrugged.

"What? No! I love her!" Lester yelled at Jeff.

"Well I guess the best man will win then." Jeff spat back.

"Please, Jeff you wouldn't know how to seduce a lonely librarian let alone someone like Sarah." Lester rolled his eyes.

"Neither do you Lester." Chuck said as he took out the SD card, snapped it and placed it in the trash."

He walked away.

Sarah's apartment

Sarah sat in her apartment flipping through Gustav's case file. She had to do something to stay awake, she wasn't allowed to sleep for another six hours, or so said the doctor.

There was a ring at the door.

She went to check it out and found a box of chocolates and some flowers on the floor. She checked the hallways but, no one was there.

She stuck the flowers and the box of chocolates in the microwave, punching in a special key code the microwave scanned for bugs and or weapons of any kind. It came back clean. She looked at the note, "Roses are red, Violets are blue, but baby brown is the right color for you. -Lester"

"What the He-" the doorbell rang again.

She opened it to find a giant teddy bear and a half naked Jeff sitting in its lap, there was a rose in his mouth. He spit it out, "like what you see? He twirled one of his chest hairs.

Sarah just about barfed. She was considering whether or not to pull a gun on him. She decided it was best just to blame the door in his face.

A faint "I love you!" Came from the other side before she heard him pushing the giant teddy bear back towards the elevator.

Sarah was utterly confused.

'tap' 'tap' 'tap' she heard against her window, she pulled her gun. "What now?!"

She looked opened her window and a pebble hit her face. "Ow!" She said.

"Oh sorry!" Morgan called up.

"What do you want Morgan?!" She asked frustrated.

Morgan held up his first finger and picked up a boom box. He hit play and held it above his head like in say anything. But, let's get it on by Marvin Gaye was playing. He quickly tried to change it but the tape started skipping and eventually burst open.

"Gah! Stupid!" He yelled at the boom box.

Sarah shut her window. She could hear Morgan yelling "Hey I just wanted to ask you out!" And the apartment downstairs yelling "Shut up!" At him.

"Thank-you mister Berkowitz" she silently sang.

She picked up her cell to call Chuck.

"Hello?" Chuck answered.

"Is there a reason Morgan, Lester, and Jeff all appeared at my apartment to ask me out?"

"I know why Morgan's there but, Jeff and Lester? That's weird."

"So there's no bet or anything that you know about?" Sarah asked.

"No, not that I can think of." He answered honestly.

"Why's Morgan here?" She asked.

There was a pause. "I really shouldn't say..." Chuck trailed off.

"He thinks because we broke up he has the right to take a shot at me?" Sarah concluded.

"Well, yeah kind of." Chuck said.

"Some best friend. Are you two okay? Why would you let him do that?" Sarah questioned.

"Who am I to stop someone from going after what they want? That just seems hypocritical. Don't you think?" Chuck stated.

"You never cease to impress me." She said sincerely. "But, can you call off the dogs?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that." He laughed.

"So you're just going to let them keep harassing me?" Sarah exclaimed.

"The heart wants what the heart wants Sarah." He laughed. "You can handle yourself." He hung up.

Sarah laughed, rolling her eyes she threw her phone on her bed. "I need to shower or something."

Sarah thought to herself. Why all three of them? And at the same time?! Chuck and I's cover broke up months ago, they could've asked me out anytime between then and now.

She heard a knock at the door. It was Casey… With a gun.

"Is there a mission?" Sarah asked looking at the 45 in his hand.

"No I-" he cleared his throat, "I just, well… I bought you this. Um… here." Casey handed the gun to Sarah.

"Thank. You?" She said confused.

"No problem." He evaded her eyes. "I, uh, saw it and I, uh, I thought of you. I hope you like it." He seemed really nervous, well, whatever Casey's version of nervous was. "Goodbye." He nodded and then walked away.

"Bye." Sarah said still confused.

Sarah went to her phone to call Chuck again. "Chuck, meet me at Castle."

"It's midnight can't this wait?" Chuck whined sleepily.

"No, I think Casey just proposed to me." She said looking at the 45 in her hand.

"I'll be right there." Chuck said with a sudden burst of energy.

Castle

"Casey proposed to you?!" Chuck said as soon as he walked through the door of the orange orange.

"Well, not exactly." Sarah said punching the code into the castle door.

"What exactly happened?" He asked.

"He came to my door really nervous and sweaty, then he handed me a gun and said he 'saw it and thought of me'. Then left abruptly." She started walking down the Castle stairs.

"Yeah. I can see how you got to proposal." He said sarcastically.

"It's not just him Chuck, It's Jeff, Morgan, Lester, and Casey. They all showed up at my apartment today with some romantic gesture to ask me on a date." She said moving to the computers.

He followed. "So? Jeff and Lester have been obsessed with you for years. Morgan and Casey, well… I don't know how they couldn't have fallen for you." He shrugged

Sarah clicked on the file for the gas analysts from the mission yesterday. "Wait what? What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean." He said shyly.

"No?" She stated simply.

"You know… You're smart, beautiful, kind, giving, you sacrifice yourself for others on a daily basis, you have a terrible habit of making me believe in myself, you protect me not just because it's your job but, because you believe in me…" Chuck was locked into her eyes… he cleared his throat. "I just- Morgan clearly has a type for tall women and Casey, well he likes a girl that's good with a gun. So- so I can see why they would fall for you." He coughed again.

Sarah read the results of the file. "It's a love potion" Casey and Sarah both said at the same time.

"Gah!" Chuck spasmed. "You have to stop sneaking up on people like that!"

"Sorry." Casey said sardonically. "I figured it out once I left your apartment. Gustav used it to not only escape but, distract us from the mission. I concocted an anecdote and administered it to myself. I'll give it to the Buy Morons in the morning." He said taking a duffle bag of the serum's ingredients up the stairs.

"How does he just appear out of nowhere like that?" Chuck said.

"Years of training."

"Well I can see why you like him. He's definitely got the whole 'mysterious' thing going on for him." Chuck joked.

"Ew!" She laughed. "Who said I liked Casey?" She asked probably willing to torture whoever spread that rumor.

"Well, you did accept his marriage proposal." Chuck gestured to the gun on the table.

"I didn't-" she cut herself off when she saw that Chuck was joking.

Sarah caught herself thinking. "Hey, why weren't we affected by the potion?"

"I guess it only targets the dumb and insanely grumpy." He joked.

"Seriously though, why didn't you fall for me? Or Why didn't I fall for you or one of the guys?"

"Maybe it did affect us but, it's just didn't change anything." Chuck suggested.

"What are you saying?" Sarah asked as Chuck slowly leaned in closer. Her breath hitched.

"I'm saying the potion didn't affect me because I'm already in love. The only question is, Why didn't it affect you?" their faces just multimeters apart.

"Because I feel the sa-" she was cut off by a monitor beep.

Chuck and Sarah quickly stood apart.

"Good. The log showed you were in Castle." Beckmen stated her face unusually large on the monitor. "Gustav was just spotted outside and L.A. warehouse loading his shipments. It's assumed that his weapons deal in going to happen tomorrow. Get there and stop it." Beckmen signed off. Sarah stared at the black monitor.

"Goodnight Sarah." Chuck said already halfway up the stairs.

"Wait." Sarah said racing to catch up. "I want to show you my favorite spot. It's just outside the Orange Orange." She exited the Castle door. "The only spot without security Cameras."


	13. Chapter 13

"Hey," she said as she sat on the table next to him.

Chuck didn't want to talk, "Hm." He grunted.

"How are you holding up?" She said bumping her shoulder against his.

Chuck sighed. "Fine I guess." He sighed again. Chuck made a mental note to stop sighing. "I just thought I'd be out of here by now, that's all."

"Chuck we'll find Cole soon. Everything will be fine.Don't you trust us?" Sarah asked.

"Don't." He whispered, he turned to look in her eyes,"Don't say everything is going to be all right. Casey told me the truth. He told me the odds of Cole being alive, the odds of me getting out of here," The hurt was evident in his voice, "The odds of me ever seeing Ellie or- or Morgan again." Chuck closed his eyes and hung his head. "So don't lie to me and tell me everything's going to be fine, not when I know the truth." He spat somewhat bitterly.

Chuck looked to her for a rebuttal, some kind of hopefully message that would make everything okay. But, nothing came. Sarah just sat there defeated. She had no idea what to say, or how she could comfort him at this point.

Chuck stood up and walked to his quarters.

Sarah watched him walk away hopeless and disappointed, she couldn't stand the sight of Chuck this way. She stormed to the person who made this mess. Casey.

Sarah stomped in the buy more furious. She searched the area but, there was no sign of Casey. Sarah found herself at the nerd her desk. "Jeff, Larry, where's Casey?" She huffed.

"Break room-" Jeff said, but she was already headed there before he could finish, "why?"

Sarah threw open the break room door. "What the Heck?! You told him he was never going to see his sister again! How stupid are you?!" She yelled, unfortunately skip was in the room too so he caught some of her anger. She glared daggers at him until he finally sped out of there, then went back to focusing all the rage and anger, someone like her could ever produce, towards Casey.

"The kid wanted to know. So I told him." Casey said unwavered.

"You. Should. Have. Lied." She said through gritted teeth.

"Well sorry," he said sarcastically as he stood up from his chair, "I thought you and Chuck were all about 'trust' and 'honesty'.' he made air quotes with his fingers.

"He's been sitting in the bunker day after day, having hope that we'll find Cole and can let him go but, now he doesn't even have that! How long do you think he'll last now?!"

Casey grunted. "Well let's find Cole, then we won't have to find out."

Chuck was bouncing a ball against the ceiling when Sarah approached. "Hey." Sarah said leaning in the doorway of Chuck's quarters.

Chuck glanced at her for a moment before returning his focus to the ball.

Sarah walked closer and caught the ball before Chuck could. "Chuck." She said a bit lower.

"I don't want to talk about it." He sighed.

"Fine." She said sitting on the end of the bed, leaning against the wall behind her. "Let's talk about something else."

Chuck sat up beside her. Keeping quiet.

She noticed his eyes. "You look tired."

"That's because I haven't slept."

"What? In how long?" She asked worried.

"Sinz a ga dn hr." He said under his breath.

"I can't understand you."

He sighed. "Since I got down here."

"Chuck." she said almost disappointedly.

He just looked at his shoelaces.

She placed a hand on the back of his neck, he initially moved away but, after she did it again he didn't resist. She gently stroked the dark circles under his eyes with her thumb. Chuck leaned into her touch.

"I would tell you to get some sleep but," She said taking her hand away from his face. "We have a mission." She stood up and reached out her hand to help him off the bed.

"What? But, Beckmen said…?" He took her hand and stood up.

"I don't care what Beckman said. Me and Casey talked and we realized the reason we haven't been able to find Cole is because we haven't had the intersection to help us, we haven't had you to help us."

Chuck gave her his classic grin, one Sarah hadn't seen since he'd been down here, and lifted her off the ground hugging her, almost, to the point of asphyxiation . "Thank you!" he set her down and in the rush of adrenaline kissed her. Realizing his mistake he immediately back away. Trying to save himself the embarrassment he tried to change the subject. "You have know idea what this means to me, really." He said sincerely. "I would've gone insane if I had to stare at the grey walls for another day." He chuckled.

Sarah decided it best to ignore what happened and move on. "Well, pack your bags we're leaving in an hour." leaving Chuck in his room, she touched her lips blushing. Immediately she shook her head, not the time she thought.

"So what's the plan? Why are we here?" Chuck asked as they sat in the surveillance can outside the museum.

"The only recorded Fulcrum agent in the area the day Cole was captured, just signed in here, at the Dante's mask reveal gala. We don't have a picture of him so we need the intersect to I.D. him. You and Sarah will enter in as a couple, once the Fulcrum agent I'd ID'd Sarah will lead him out here where I will tranq him." Casey said cocking his dart gun.

"Sounds great but,I don't have a tux remember? I left it at home." Chuck gestured to his current outfit.

"A gift from Laslow." Sarah held up a watch.

"Didn't that guy try and explode us?" Chuck said worried.

"He was recently rehabilitated, because of a few suggestions in the report we sent in, he now has regular hours. Instead of living in a bunker her now lives in his own apartment and comes in to work for the CIA from 9-5 everyday except Sunday." Sarah smiled. "He sent this watch and a thank you note, you were mentioned in it. He also apologized for trying to blow us up."

"Casey grunted. "Kid's soft like you now."

Sarah placed the watch on Chuck's wrist, taking his hand in hers she pressed a button and a tuxedo popped out and dressed around him.

"Whoa! How did he fit the suit in there?" Chuck said staring closely at the watch.

"He didn't, it's a hologram moron." Casey chimed in.

"A hologram? We have those now?" Chuck asked fascinated.

"The CIA does, it's still classified tech so don't go showing it to your buddies." Casey turned the watch off.

"Hey!" Chuck said trying to turn it back on.

"It has a no shirt no shoes arrive policy." Casey said.

"What? What does that mean?" Chuck asked confused.

Sarah coughed. "It means… you can't be wearing anything when it's on, it has trouble covering close." Sarah blushed. "I'll wait outside while you get ready." Sarah closed the van door.

"Casey?!" Chuck turned to Casey hoping she was joking.

"You heard her." He snorted a laugh. "Don't worry, I won't peak." Casey giggled in his love gravelly voice.

Chuck came out of the van in a sharp looking tux. He couldn't stop blushing and looked rather uncomfortable.

"You look great." Sarah tried to cheer him up.

"Yeah, uh-huh. Let's just go get this stupid party over with." He said.

They linked arms and entered the gala. One glance at the enormous crowd and Chuck immediately flashed. "Uh Sarah? I found him."

"What? Already?" Sarah said. "Where?"

"There." He pointed across the room to a short french looking man with whisky facial hair. He was wearing a shiny, baby blue tux that stood out from the crowd. "Yeah the impact Loomis over there. That's him."

"Okay. I'll go talk to him, try and get him outside, you go back to the van." Sarah said.

"Wait, we just got here." He said disappointed.

Sarah tried to find a compromise. "Fine, I have to move in on the Fulcrum agent before we lose his position but, why don't you go grab a drink. Meet me outside in ten." She said heading towards the agent.

Chuck smiled and headed towards the bar. "One club soda please." He said smoothly, acting like James Bond.

"Id'll bee ay littul beet. (It'll be a little bit)" A large bald Russian man commented. "The bartenders like to serve the pretty ladies first." He said in a thick Russian accent.

"Ah, that's unfortunate then. And your name is?" Chuck stuck out a hand for him to shake, eager to talk to the first person, that wasn't Casey or Sarah, in a little over a month.

"Chezkovik. End yors? (And yours)"

Chuck shook his massive hand. "Carmichael." The Russians grip became extremely tight.

"End yer ferst nem? (And your first name)" He said slowly, still gripping his hand very tight.

"Hi, uh, yeah, it's charles, um, can you, let go, please, you're hurting my hand." Chuck sputtered.

The Russian let go and smiled. "Sorry about that… Agent Carmichael." The Russian snapped his fingers.

"Wait, what?" Suddenly two more large Russian men were standing around him.

Chezkovik pulled a gun. "Lez go."

The Russian men led Chuck to the back parking lot. "Okey littul man. Tell us U.S. government serkretz or I shoot. (Okay little man tell us government secrets of I shoot.)"

"It doesn't really work that way." Chuck rambled. "You see usually I'll see and object or a person and suddenly all the information regarding that object or person flashes across my mind. Although with this new update if you rush at me or something-"

"Quiet! Geev us sekretz now! (Quiet give us secrets now.)" Chezkovik straighten his arm to point his gun at Chuck's head.

"Okay okay, if I touch you the information transfers from me to you." Chuck lied. "You'll have to come over here.

Chezkovik lowered his gun and walked towards Chuck. Chuck flashed kung fu and took him down. The two henchmen launched at him and he took them both down. Chuck smiled and went back to the party. He walked toward through to crowd, for some reason all eyes were on him. He wondered if they all knew he was the intersect, if this was some kind of Fulcrum trap but, the he heard someone giggle. Why are they laughing at me?

"Oh my gosh Chuck!" Sarah yelled. She ran through the crowd and took his hand yanked him past everyone in the room all the way to the van.

"It's okay, I'm alright, I took out the Russians. I'm fine." Chuck tried to reassure her, she almost looked panicked.

She stopped suddenly. "What Russians?!" But, turning to look at him was a mistake. "Later." She said more to herself than to chuck. She threw open the van door and, without looking at him, ordered him "Van now." slamming the door behind him.

Chuck claimed in and sat down. "What's going on?"

Casey threw the heap of Chuck's close in his lap. "Put these on." He said.

Chuck reached to turn off the hologram watch but found it had been smashed. Probably broke when I was fighting one of the Russians. He thought. Oh no. It clicked. Chuck quickly looked down to find nothing was covering him but his boxers.

Chuck didn't make eye contact with anyone as they drove back to castle.

"It wasn't as bad as you think." Sarah tried to reassure the now fully clothed Chuck.

"Standing in front of a crowd of hundreds of people in nothing but your underwear isn't as bad as I think?" He said rhetorically.

"You're right it's pretty bad." She giggled. Casey snorted a laugh from the driver's seat.

Chuck blushed and hung his head.

"Hey." She said trying to stifle her giggle and actually sound comforting, "It's really not that bad. It's actually kind of adorable, in a funny sort of way." She said touching his shoulder, trying to get him to look at her. "It's not your fault the watch glitched."

"It didn't glitch is shattered when I blocked the Russians punch." He said.

"What?! Chuck why were you fighting a Russian?!" She said worried gripping both of his shoulders now.

"I wasn't fighting a russian I wasn't fighting three Russians." He smirked a little proud of himself. "I introduced myself as Carmichael to him at the bar and he knew I was an agent, hime and his goons took me out back and demanded the 'U.S. government serkretz'." Chuck made air quotes mimicking the Russians accent. "Then I flashed and took them down."

Suddenly Casey swerved the van all the way around and started heading for the museum again. "

"What are you doing?!" Chuck demanded to know.

"We have to go pick up those Russians! We have to find out how they know you're the intercect, if they're part of the fulcrum, and take them back to castle for interrogation! They've seen your face Chuck! they could tell their employers or worse." Casey said urgently.

He stopped, dropped off Chuck and Sarah at a gas station, and sped off. "C'mon." Sarah said leading him to a car. She pulled out a lock pick and opened a car door.

"Do you really think we should be doing this?" Chuck said hesitantly. "It's against the law."

"I am the Law, now shut up and get in." She said hotwiring the car to life.

"How could you be so stupid Chuck?! Someone at the party knew your secret and you left them without a second thought?!" Sarah berated him.

"Well, excuse me I was a little distracted by my lack of proper clothing!" Chuck defended himself.

Weren't we all. Sarah thought. "Chuck, do you know what this means?!"

"No what?" He said rubbing his temples.

"It means… Unless the Russians are the only other ones that know about you… We're in some deep trouble Chuck." She said calming down.

"Say it. Say what you're not saying."

"It means…" Sarah sighed. "it means the bunker Chuck." She said barely above a whisper.

Chuck huffed. "Will I atleast get to say goodbye to Ellie?"

Sarah wrapped him in a hug, "I don't know Chuck but… I doubt it."

Chuck hugged her back, fearing his future, knowing he's never see Ellie again, and fearing he's lose Sarah.

"General please." Chuck begged on the edge of tears.

"I'm sorry Chuck. The answer is no. Pack your bags, you leave at sunrise." She signed off. A single tear trailed down his face.

Chuck headed to his quarters sullen.

Sarah started after him but, Casey's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Leave him be for a while. He needs time for this to set in."

Sarah shook off his hand and followed anyways.

She leaning against the doorway. She took a deep breath, "Chuck." She exhaled.

"Are you worried about Cole?" He met her eyes, his brimmed with liquid.

"Right now I'm more worried about you." Sarah sat next to him on the bed.

"But, you are still worried about him right?" Chuck asked. "You guys seem to have a real connection. It makes sense that you would worry."

"Sure… Sure I'm worried but, he's just a co-worker, were completely professional." She reassured him.

Chuck half-heartedly chuckled. "That's what you used to say about us." He smiled solemnly.

Sarah worried, this conversation wasn't going where she wanted it to go, where she needed it to go. "Well, things change… I've done some thinking and there's really only one person for me."

Chuck thought she meant Cole. "Well, Cole's really lucky guy then." He nodded, looking into her eyes he sincerely stated, "You're amazing." He turned to look at his shoelaces again, trying not to think about -

Sarah caught him off guard. Taking his face in her hands she kissed him. He kissed back with the longing that comes from never seeing a person again. He pressed his forehead to hers breaking the kiss, they still held each others faces in hand.

"What about Cole?" He asked confused.

"Chuck, you're the only one for me. Always have been always will be." She kissed him again.

Suddenly the power went off. An alarm sounded and red lights flared. "Intruder alert, Intruder alert." A robotic voice repeated.

"Chuck get in the closet." She whispered urgently, she pulled her gun and walked backwards towards him. Closing the closet door in front of them.

She covered her mouth with her index finger, signaling for him to be quiet.

Chuck breathed heavily. She covered his mouth to stop him.

Hearing a noise outside the closet she peaked through the slits in the door, someone was on the ground.

'stay here's Sarah said with a hand signal. She stepped outside the closet. "Who are you? How'd you get in? How many of you are there?!" She interrogated.

"My name is Cole Barker, I got in with the passcode you gave me, and I'm the only one." He said coughing up blood.

Sarah quickly turned off the alarm, the lights went back to normal and Sarah saw the blood that stained Cole from head to toe. "Oh my gosh! Chuck help me get him to the med bay!" She said wrapping Cole's arm around her shoulder to help him stand. "Chuck!"

Chuck stepped out of the closet slowly, almost in shock. Of all the moments… Chuck thought. He shook his head and snapped out of it, he rushed to help Sarah and they quite nearly ran to the med bay.

Cole sat on the table and Sarah quickly stitched to worst of his wounds, and Chuck gagged in the corner. She then removed the shrapnel from his bullet wounds stitched those up and moved to his burns. "Wow, they really took it easy on you didn't they?" She joked and Cole laughed.

"Did Sarah Walker just make a joke? You never make jokes." Cole replied smiling flirtatiously, Sarah ignored him and decided to focus on his wounds.

"You've only known her a couple of weeks." Chuck stated, uncomfortable that Cole was flirting with the girl he just kissed. "But, it's true," he addressed Sarah now, "you never make jokes."

"Well maybe I caught your comedy bug." Sarah flirted with Chuck.

Chuck grinned big.

Cole, watching this all go down, said, "oh, you've got to be kidding me. I'm off getting tortured keeping your secret, I'm gone less than a month and you and Chuck get together?" Cole asked surprised. "Talk about office slut." Cole whispered

Sarah stopped stitching him. "Excuse m-" She couldn't even finish saying 'excuse me' before Chuck slugged him in the jaw.

Of course, Cole was tougher than Chuck so he barely reacted while Chuck danced from the pain shooting through his hand.

Sarah stared at him in shock. "Chuck are you okay?!"

"Yeah, I think I just sprained it." He said shaking g out his throbbing hand.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that." Cole apologized in his charming british accent. "Out loud." He said under his breath.

Chuck forced himself to flash and punched Cole again, this.time Cole definitely felt it. Cole wiggled his jaw and stood up, punching Chuck back, Bartowski fell to the floor unconscious and so did Cole. Though, Cole's unconscious stemmed from the tranq dart Sarah had shot into his neck.

"Chuck!" Sarah said urgently kneeling by his side. She moved his face side to side in her hands checking for an injury, she found his jaw was swollen and already bruising. She gently ran her thumb along the damage.

Some drugged up giggling Emirates from behind her, as quick as lightning she pulled her tranq gun and shot him. The. She shit him again for good measure.

Sarah iced Chuck's Jaw while they watched Casey interrogate Cole.

"I can do it." Chuck said the ice bag, and her hand, in his.

"I know but, … I want to." She said. Chuck smiled softly and dropped his hand.

The silence between them left room for them to listen in on the interrogation.

"Did you tell anyone the intersects identity yes, or no?" Casey asked.

"No. Look, I kept your secret, can we end this so I can go apologize to Sarah." Cole pleaded.

"No." Casey said simply. "If you didn't share the intersects identity then how did a russian man named Chezkovik connect the dots?"

"I don't know, maybe he saw the amount of missions you guys were completing and figured only the intersect could do something like that." Cole speculated.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, look at him! He's a shrimp of a man! Only with kung fu programming could he complete so many missions! And only with the intersect could he ever win someone like sarah!" Cole blurted.

"She's not a prize." Chuck whispered to himself through gritted teeth. Sarah only barely heard him. She blushed.

Casey closed the file in front of him. "We updated Chuck with the 2.0 after you had been captured, out of fear he'd be unable to defend himself."

"I'm going to go." Chuck said, unable to be scrutinized anymore.

"Oh, okay." Sarah said confused.

Chuck walked out the door.

"So the question is, how did you know about his kung fu? The original intersect didn't have those capabilities." Casey questioned.

"I- I had heard rumors about the update and assumed that both versions had fighting lessons." Cole offered.

Sarah had heard enough of Cole and decided to make a call.

"Nice try but, I'm not buying it. How did you know?" Casey questioned more sternly. "Who do you really work for?"

"The ring" Cole laughed maniacally lunging towards Casey, his handcuffs stopping him.

Sarah knocked on Chuck's door. "Chuck, can I come in?"

"Sure." He said exasperated.

Sarah walked in.

"Does this mean you're getting back together with Cole?" Chuck asked sullen.

"Chuck I told you before and I'll tell you again, there's only one person out there for me." Sarah smiled.

Chuck smiled back. "Good because I don't like that guy. So does this mean I can ask you on a real date?"

"It depends…"

"On what?" He asked worried there were more obstacles between them.

"On where we'd go." She smiled.

"Well, what's your favorite food?" Chuck asked, Sarah leaned towards him.

"Anything." She said leaning in more.

Chuck gulped, "uh okay, maybe an Italian place then?" He suggested leaning towards her as well.

"That sounds good." She still crept closer

"Maybe a movie too?"

"What movie?" She said their faces just centimeters apart.

"Echem." Casey sounded from the doorway. "Briefing with Beckman in now."

Chuck cleared his throat, "Sounds good." Chuck feigned sincerity, trying to will him away. Sarah hid her face as she blushed.

Casey glared at the two of them. He grunted. "Two minutes." He said granting some alone time.

Casey walked down the hallway. Chuck peeked around the doorway to see if he was gone. "Where were-" Chuck was cut off to find a very close Sarah. Chuck gulped. "We?" They kissed.

Chuck and Sarah stood smiling, Casey straight faced, as they briefed with Beckman.

"And that's everything. The Russians only knew about Chuck because they were the highest bidder for the drive with the intersects identity. We know they didn't share Chuck's secret from their interview. The Fulcrum agent who had supposedly captured and tortured Cole never existed, the one we captured at the gala is in CIA custody, and Cole just admitted to being part of a terrorist organization." Casey stated.

Chuck and Sarah looked at each other in shock, then to Casey who gave a look of 'ill explain later'."

"Well if this is true then Fulcrum is the least of our worries, we clearly have an unseen enemy in our midst. Good work team." Beckman was about to sign off but decided to add one more thing. "Don't think I didn't notice the part where you took the intersect out of lockdown despite my very clear, very strict orders." She then signed off.

Chuck shivered, "Uh, sometimes Beckman scares the bejeezes out of me.", Breaking the tension the two agents felt at their foreshadowed reprimand.

"Cole is part of a terrorist organization and its not Fulcrum?" Sarah asked.

"He says it's called the ring-"

"Well that's a scary name." Chucked chimed in sarcastically.

Casey ignored him. "Apparently Fulcrum is just one part of the ring. It consists of five terrorist organizations each one having infiltrated global governments."

"I don't like the sound of this." Sarah shook her head.

"We'll have to be prepared." Casey said packing a bag and heading out.

"Where are you going?" Sarah asked.

"Buy more, I have some beastmasters to move." He said exiting castle.

Sarah turned to Chuck. "I'm still going to the bunker aren't I?" He said less sad than before.

"Not if I can help it. Just sit here and be quiet." She said, they both smiled and she pecked his cheek.

Dialing Beckman again, Sarah stood ready for anything. She went over a lot of points like how no one knows his identity again and how he's served his country honorably despite never having signed up to do so etc., After about an hour and a half Beckman agreed to Chuck returning home, on a kind of probation where , should anything go wrong, he would be immediately sent to the bunker.

Sarah thanked the general and sighed in relief. Immediately after the call, Chuck lifted Sarah into the air hugging her, almost, to the point of asphyxiation. He kissed her asd said, "I love you." As he pressed his forehead to hers.

"I love you too." She said breathless. Chuck gave her his classic grin but, ten times bigger, they laughed and kissed and laughed again.

Chuck finally returned home, explaining to Ellie that he was sent into witness protection but, the guy was arrested so he could come home. (Which was exactly the truth except the part where a CIA agent dressed as a cop showed up to explain the situation to her.)

She had been worried sick but didn't call the cops because Sarah had said Chuck was at Buy More corporate training to be the store operations manager. Sarah said she had lied because she couldn't tell Ellie about the witness protection. When asked why Sarah got to know about she said it was because when he went into protection the had just started living together and a live in girlfriend moves with the witness when brought into the program.

Ellie believed them. They spent the night catching up on each others lives until Ellie was so tired she had to go to bed.

Chuck and Sarah were about to say goodnight when they realized they still lived together.

"Is it okay if I stay here tonight? It's been so busy since we cancelled the live in plan, and brought you down to castle, that I haven't had time to search for an apartment or move out my stuff." Sarah explained.

"Of course." He said.

"Thanks. I'll clear my stuff out in the morning, and look for a new apartment." She said.

"Why?" He said. He rubbed his neck as he sat on the bed. "Look, I want you to think before you make any commitments, I'm not going to the bunker anymore so, we're right back where we started. You're an agent, I'm and asset. Nothing's changed except now we've both admitted are feelings. I'm giving you an out, if you want to go back to being 'professionals' I- Well it wouldn't be my first choice but, I could live with it. Just tell me now before we take this too far and you change your mind." He said.

She sat on the bed next to him. "I'm not going anywhere Chuck." She smiled and kissed him.

Sarah noticed Chuck's eyes again and remembered something. "Chuck. You need to sleep."

"I don't know if I can, my mind is racing everywhere at once. I'm finally home again, you and me are finally together, I just can't contain myself enough to sleep."

"Just try. Please? For me?"

He kissed her forehead and lied down. "You happy?"

She placed her head in the crook of his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his waist. "Yes, yes I am."


	14. Chapter 14

Ed. note: Thanks to everyone who's stuck with mundane moments this far. I very much appreciate the favorites and comments, especially the comments. I look forward to your input on this chapter and those to come.

...I've been writing story after story for my mundane moments series and haven't been able to finish any of them because… Well they just didn't feel right. I finally realized I was over complicating things and had to get back to my roots. I realized that mundane moments was about just that MUNDANE moments. So here's a quick piece I wrote to hopefully help me get back on track with this series.

\--

Chuck vs. the pool

Chuck flew gracefully through the water. Throwing both arms in front of him and pushing them back to propel him forward. Breaking the surface he silently drew in the cool night air. Brushing his feet up and down as if his toes were painting a delicate portrait.

Chuck loved swimming. He never got to do it much now that his life was Buy More, bullets, and bad guys. Unless, you count the time Casey and him fell 10 stories, tied to a chair, into the hotel pool, (which he doesn't) then Chuck hasn't swam since college and, even then, he didn't do it much. He always felt insecure next to Bryce who was on the swim team, along with the many other clubs he participated in.

Despite having been away from the activity for so many years, he still felt it's soothing powers. The way the water would flow past as he performed the butterfly, the way one little light under the water would make the entire pool glow, a stark contrast to dark night around him.

Chuck slowed his strokes and turned on his back to float. He looked up at the night sky above, more and more stars announcing themselves the longer he stared.

He wasn't used to this many stars. But, lack of city lights allowed more stars to shine through.

He took in a deep breath of cool summer night, wiggling his fingers in the water.

He knew he wasn't supposed to be here but, he had had a pretty upsetting week. What with the entire neighborhood being fulcrum. The worst part wasn't that. The worst part was that he actually fooled himself into thinking that Sarah and him could ever have a life together like the one they had created here in the suburbs.

Chuck sighed. He was going to put this weak behind him. Just enjoy the pool Chuck. You deserve it.

He paddled his arms behind him in a backstroke and let the water wash away his problems.

"Echem." A heel impatiently tapped the tile that lined the pool.

Chuck looked at the heel and traced the cough up the tall blonde that stood before him. He quickly retreated to a standing position within the pool. He felt a little exposed wearing his swimsuit in front of her. He didn't like to be immodest, even in the pool.

"Chuck I told you you couldn't come back here. What are you doing? Did you forget something?" Sarah's heel kept tapping.

"I just wanted to swim. We never got to use the pool." He explained.

"I thought I made it clear we weren't to come back here." Sarah chastised.

"Noooo." Chuck explained. "What I said was 'Hey! Want to swing buy the old neighborhood' and you said. 'Chuck it was just a cover.'" he did his best impression of Sarah's voice… and failed miserably. "and I said, albeit, a little defeatedly 'I know.' and you changed subjects. So you never technically 'banned' me from the house. If anything you almost implied it." Chuck shrugged, smiling triumphantly, clearly not affected by Sarah's demeanor.

"Also, what are you doing back if we're not supposed to be here?" He accused.

"Me? I uh- I just forgot something." She wiggled in her heels.

Chuck knew she was lying. He inspected her more closely and realised that her dress was a swimsuit cover. He quickly devised a plan. "Oh. Well help me out and I'll help you look for it."

Chuck extended his hand and she grabbed hold. "It's fine you don't have to Heeeelllppp!" She screamed as Chuck pulled her into the pool.

"What the heck Chuck?!" She spit water out of her mouth and wiped her eyes.

Chuck just laughed.

"Why did you do that?!"

"Oh please. Don't pretend like you're not here for the same reason I am. You're clearly wearing a bathing suit." He pointed at the white dress she was wearing, he could clearly see her swimsuit through the soaking fabric.

Sarah removed the cover and her heels and tossed them on the edge. "You caught me. But, I'm an agent so I have access. This is, strictly speaking, a crime scene. And you, Chuck Bartowski, are just a civilian so technically you're breaking federal law right now."

"Oh really?" Chuck teased.

"Oh yeah." She nodded with joking confidence.

"So are you going to arrest me then?" Chuck held out his wrists in mock.

Sarah looked at his wrists, they were bruised with blue and purple. "Chuck?! What happened?!" She exclaimed gingerly taking hold of his wrists.

"It's nothing." He tried to pull his wrists away but Sarah wouldn't let go.

"It's clearly not. Where'd you get these."

"It's uh… From the straps. When they had me tied to the chair in the fulcrum basement they had strapped me in pretty tight. Then when the images started flashing I was trying hard to get out. I guess I struggled too hard because the next day I had some pretty bad bruising." He explained.

Sarah took the worse of the two wrists in both of her hands, holding it with one and lightly tracing the markings with her other. "I'm so sorry." She whispered staring intently at the bruises she now felt responsible for.

"Don't be." He smiled, slipping his wrist out of her hand and taking her hands in his.

After an awkward silence he let her go. He went back to floating on his back on the pools surface. Sarah did the same. The two laid side by side looking up at the night sky.

"Beautiful isn't it?" She said looking at the stars.

Chuck looked at Sarah, breathing in the moment he agreed, "Very."

Sarah couldn't help but, feel like he was talking about her. Her cheeks suddenly felt warm.

Sarah started reaching towards Chuck to grab his hand but, the very loud and obnoxious 'Agent Walker' side of her brain was screaming to stop.

She started to retract her hand when Chuck grazed his pinky against hers. She waited for him to move his hand and apologize or something but, he didn't. He just kept his hand there, the sides of their pinkies touching.

Sarah didn't move her hand either.

They both took a deep breath and let the cool summer night sink in.


	15. Chuck vs The Little Things

Chuck vs. The Little Things

"Chuck, wake up Chuck." She shook his shoulder. Chuck opened his droopy eyes to find the hustle and bustle of a midtown diner swarming around him. A ding of a bell here, a clatter of dishes there, high heels clicking against the laminate floor as waitresses brought trays of steaming food to hungry customers.

The noise was too much, he wanted to shutdown, to shut out the world, to shut out everything. Well - not everything. He wanted to put everything around him on hold except for the beautiful blonde that sat in front of him. He wanted to exist inside a world where everything stopped but the two of them.

"Chuck." Her voice drew him back to reality. "Quit falling asleep." She irked. "Do you know the risk you're taking after sustaining such a harsh blow to your head? You could fall into a coma Chuck. Do you want that?"

"You've only told me a thousand times." Chuck rolled his eyes.

"That's because you keep falling asleep!" She countered.

"Don't be silly I was just resting my eyes." Chuck spoke unconvincingly through a yawn.

Sarah didn't need to say anything. She simple rose a single brow and won.

"Fine. Maybe I've rested slightly more than one should with my injuries. But, in my defense sitting down in a comfy booth and filling my belly with warm food isn't doing much to keep me awake."

"Hm. I had thought the noise would be good for you. I guess I was wrong." She thought for a moment. "Time to try a new tactic. Let's go." Sarah stood up, holding a hand out for Chuck to take.

"Where are we going?" Chuck asked.

"I don't know yet." She shrugged.

Two emotions crossed Chuck's face confusion and trust. With underlying hesitation, he put on his coat and took her hand.

"Uh, Sarah the herder is the other way." He called out as she was already headed down the left sidewalk instead of the right.

"I know." She said plainly. The mysteriousness of her plans only growing greater with the simplicity of the phrase. "Catch up Chuck."

If only I could. He thought vaguely. "Seriously Sarah where are we going?"

"For a walk Chuck. The cool air and exercise will definitely keep you up." She concluded.

"Cool air? Try freezing!" Chuck wrapped his coat more tightly around him. "Speaking of which here's your coat Sarah?" He said looking at her short sleeves.

"Chuck, I've survived countless rounds of torture. Do you really think some cold air bothers me?" Sarah said somewhat smugly.

"Don't be crazy Sarah. Everyone, even highly trained agents, are susceptible to a cold." He said taking of his coat and placing it around her. "Plus, if you got sick, then who would protect me?"

"I'm sure Casey could protect you just fine. I'm only here to make sure the NSA fairly shares any Intel from the intersect with the CIA." Sarah explained feeling idly insecure about that fact.

Chuck stopped walking, hurt conveying itself through his chocolatey eyes."Is that the only reason?" Chuck asked, feeling insecure himself.

Sarah locked eyes with him. She knew what he meant. He was asking if she was staying solely for the government or for him as well. "No. That's… not the", Sarah had to look away, "only reason…"

The agent Walker side of her brain was screaming at her for saying that. From a professional standpoint any implications of feelings for the asset would most certainly have a detrimental effect on their interactions in the field. Agent Walker made the point that if Chuck felt that, in Chuck's words, 'their relationship was remotely real', in the field, that kind of emotional attachment could cause him to throw himself in front of the Facebook of danger to protect Sarah from getting shot for example.

Oh shut up Walker. Sarah thought. Chuck would do that for anyone, not just someone he has a 'remotely real' relationship with. It's one of the things I lo-

"Sarah?" Chuck's voice brought her back to reality. She mentally thanked him. Going down that road would not have ended well. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course why?"

"Well, you kind of zoned out there for a second." He said rubbing her arm. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, sorry, I was lost in thought." She didn't consider her words.

"What were you thinking about?" Chuck responded innocently.

Sarah couldn't tell him the truth. But, she couldn't bring herself to lie to him. She decided to change the subject. "Nothing important. But, now I'm thinking about how Buy More employees slash CIA consultants are we just as susceptible to cold weather as us highly trained agents."

Chuck decided to save decipher her subject change for a later time. Perhaps over a binge of Blind Pilot songs and Ellie's special guacamole.

"C'mon, let's get you out of the cold. We can think of another way to keep you awake." Sarah suggested.

Chuck could think of a few ways Sarah could keep him awake. Something along the lines of the dock 49b incident or, perhaps, the roan Montgomery encounter. But, none of those would be acceptable at this stage in their relationship. Though, Chuck still held hope for the future. "Sounds good." He shivered.

Casa Bartowski

Sarah observed Chuck's movements. "I didn't know you could cook?" She sat on the edge of her barstool resting her elbows on the counter and her head on her firsts.

"He can't." Ellie chimed in as she entered the kitchen. She grabbed a sack lunch from the fridge and headed for the door.

"Ahhh but, that's why they call it Hamburger Helper." Chuck explained. "Hello, it does all the heavy lifting for you!"

Ellie rolled her eyes. "That little speech didn't convince me when you were cooking for Sarah and it won't convince me now." Ellie turned to Sarah. "I recommend ordering in. The food will be here by the time you spit out your first bite." Ellie teased.

"No faith in the Stanford graduate huh? Ellie I take apart and rebuild computers from scratch on a daily basis, I think I can figure out a little chicken with balsamic glaze." He countered.

"Ellie why don't you stay and eat with us?" She covered her mouth in, not so secret, secrecy. "I need someone to recommend good take out." Sarah joked. Chuck mocked offense.

"Ha! I wish I could but, I've got the graveyard shift at the hospital tonight. Though try and save me and Devon some take out if you can." Ellie winked.

"Guys I'm standing right here." Chuck shrugged. The Chicken in the pan he was holding effectively slipped out and onto the floor. "Oh!"

Ellie smirked. "By guys." She waved as she exited the door.

"So Chinese?" Sarah suggested only partially joking.

"How does pizza sound?" Chuck suggested.

Chuck and Sarah sat on the couch as the ending credits for 'View to a Kill' rolled to a stop.

"What did I tell you huh? Christopher Walken makes an extraordinary bad guy, right?" Chuck leapt to turn off the TV.

"Eh, I just didn't feel real. I mean sinking silicon valley by blowing up a single section of fault line? Couldn't happen. Especially since the dynamite he was using was low grade explosives. Sure there was a lot of it but, it would take a lot more than was shown to blow up a fault line and sink a city. Plus, the market for silicon microchips would fall by 80% within the next ten years. Technology develops quicker than any other market and someone in Walken's position would know something like that. Investing in so much in such a ludicrous idea wouldn't just be illogical." She explained.

"Sarah. He's a sociopath. He's insane! You really think his character is governed by logic and reason? Also… how do you know so much about exploding fault lines?"

Sarah simply smirked raising an eyebrow.

"Forget I asked." Chuck shook it off. "So what now? I have approximately 6 more hours before the doctor said I could rest."

"Chuck you do know that I'm your doctor right? Or do I need to check for brain damage as well?" Sarah joked.

"Yeah, I was just making a joke." Chuck shook his head. He suddenly felt dizzy and started to stumble.

"Whoa, careful there." Sarah grabbed his arm to steady him and led him back to the couch. "You should really try to move your head as little as possible. I don't want you to trip and risk further injury." Sarah concluded.

She sat beside him. "Thanks."

He leaned his head back on the couch and closed his eyes.

"Nuh-uh Chuck. No sleeping remember." Sarah shook his shoulder.

"Hmmm…" He forced a smile. "How could I forget."

"C'mon let's watch another movie." Sarah suggested.

"No, I'm sick of movies."

"Okay then a card game?"

"That'll put me to sleep more faster than you can say uno." Chuck chuckled.

She gave up, he'd just say no to everything until his six hours were up. "Okay then, what captivates your attention?" She asked slightly frustrated.

A wave of sincerity came over his eyes. Oh no, Sarah thought.

"Well, you do." He stared Sarah down with his browny eyes. She felt a strong need to look away and hide herself but, she couldn't find the strength. "Tell me about yourself."

"Chuck…" She spoke softly. "You know I can't talk about my past." She hung her head. She couldn't talk to him about her past but, she definitely wanted to.

"You can't tell me about your CIA adventures. But, can you tell me about your life before the CIA?" He his his emotions fairly well but, his eyes told her he was desperate to know.

"I can't." She spoke barely above a whisper. "As a CIA agent any knowledge of my life could be used as leverage to extract classified information." The emotion was strong in her voice.

"Sarah do you really think I would use your life against you? To get information no less! Ha!" His frustration was clear. "Sarah, I have the entirety of the CIA, NSA, FBI, JLA, you name it, networks lodged into my brain. Do you really think there is any information you could offer that I don't already know?! Besides your life before the CIA?! Heck if I were a master villain that would leverage information for information it would probably be the other way around! I would leverage your mission information for your civilian memories! Ha!" Chuck laughed.

A fear struck Sarah. She didn't know that he knew about her missions. She should have known. Every bit of information the CIA had went into that computer. He probably flashed the first time.e he saw her. Why didn't he care? He constantly expressed his undying love her, no way he would do that if he really knew her past. Her fear dissipated. "While that may be Chuck, you could be tortured, as unlikely as it sounds, for information on my past. I cannot risk the lives of my family and people I love just because you need to stay awake."

Chuck's jaw dropped. "Family?" It was his turn to whisper.

Sarah had said too much.

Chuck felt a whirl of emotion. How stupid could he be? Of course she had family! Of course she had a past with loved ones! Chuck imagined a quaint suburbs home with Jack Burton, his wife and little Sarah, maybe even a second daughter someone like Carina.

Carina?... He decided to save that conspiracy theory for later.

He imagined Sarah on her first date, a high school dance perhaps. Some chubby kid looked past her bad hair cut and braces and saw what lies beneath, Sarah's true beauty.

He imagined her falling in love, and getting her heart broken. He imagined her tears when she found out her dad had skipped town.

He imagined the friends she had made in high school.

He imagined the boy band poster she could have hung on her bedroom wall.

He imagined a life. A life before him. A life before the CIA. Sarah had something to protect. Something she couldn't share with others out of fear of it being used against her, against the government. She was bound to secrecy, not by some blatant rule made by the CIA, she was bound to secrecy out of love. To protect her loved ones from a past lives. Loved ones she likely keeps near to her heart even today.

"Sarah I'm sorry. I thought you were hiding your life from me but, now I see you're protecting your life from me. My lack of training is a definite risk and if I were to know about your life… enemies of the intersect would definitely use it against me. I'm so sorry."

"Thank you… for understanding." She sighed and reached for another slice of vegetarian pizza, no olives. An idea sprung to mind. "Chuck. I may not be able to tell you about my family or my middle name but, you can know some things. Like how I hate olives. So why don't you ask me about little things like that?" Sarah's mods quickly changed from somber to excited. She could finally share pieces of her with Chuck.

"Okay, sour patch kids or sour patch watermelon?" Chuck asked his mods changing as well.

"Watermelon for sure." Sarah laughed.

"Favorite food?"

"Anything Italian. I love pasta. Especially lasagna."

"Hey, me too. Favorite movie?"

"Don't laugh. My selection is limited to the late 90s but,... Ghost."

Chuck laughed. "You mean with demi moore and the pottery scene?" He continued to laugh.

"Hey! I said don't laugh. And… it wasn't so much the movie itself but, I kind of used to have a thing for Patrick swayze." Sarah blushed.

Chuck's laughter grew.

They spent the rest of the six hours discussing likes and dislikes. Turns out Sarah really does have a favorite band. Or did… She hasn't listened to music since 98.

A beeper on Chuck's watch let him know the six hours were up. Although he desperately craved sleep he couldn't help but, wish to know more about Sarah. He knew as soon as he went to bed that was it. Sarah wouldn't talk anymore About her past. She was only using it to keep Chuck awake, now that that was no longer necessary there was no more reason to share. Or so he thought.

Sarah loved that she found a way to give Chuck a glimpse into her life pre- CIA. However small those glimpses may be, she enjoyed sharing the little things with him.

Chuck hesitated to say goodnight. To him it meant saying goodbye to everything he had yet to learn about her. He was so drowsy he feared he wouldn't even remember what he had learned.

"Sarah, I don't want to go to sleep." Chuck stopped the beeping on his watch.

"You need as much rest as you can. Doctor's orders." Sarah grasped his hands. "But, I know what you mean."

He didn't so much not want to sleep as much as he didn't want to her to go. Sarah picked up on this. She felt the same.e and quickly devised a plan. "Hey Chuck? I'm very tired and don't think I should drive when I might fall asleep at the wheel. Do you think I could stay here tonight?"

Chuck lit up and quickly tried to hide it. "Yeah, I think that would be fine." He smiled. "You can have the bed and I'll take the couch."

"Don't you think Ellie will find it weird when she walks in in the morning?" Sarah tried to manipulate the situation to her favor but, Chuck was too modest.

"I'll just tell her we had a little fight. Or that you got sick and didn't want me to catch it. I'll figure something out." Chuck smiled.

"Okay well… If it's okay with you I think I'll stay with you on the couch until you fall asleep. I'll have to check your vitals and make sure you haven't fallen into a coma or anything." She was only semi- kidding.

"Okay but, it's unlikely that we'll both fit if I'm lying down. Six foot two remember." He flashed his crooked grin at her. Sarah's heart sped.

"Just rest your head on my legs. You'll have to bend your knees to fit but, it'll work." She smiled. Sarah knew she could have switched to another couch and Chuck was too tired to recognize that as an option but, that was besides the point. Sarah wanted- needed to be close to Chuck. No way she was leaving the person who now knows more about her real self than anyone else, not even for a second.

She didn't notice when Chuck rested his head on her lap, nor when she unknowingly ran her fingers through his hair. It just felt so natural she didn't pay it any attention.

She sighed. She was on an emotional high. She felt like a burden had lifted from her chest. Now Chuck new some things about her. He was one step closer to knowing the real her and she revealed in the feeling.

Chuck had fallen asleep and his vitals were fine but, she didn't dare move. She couldn't she was tied to Chuck in a way she couldn't describe. Now that he knew the little things.


	16. Chuck vs the future

Chuck vs. the future

Chuck laid his head back on the windshield. He sat on the hood of his car in the parking lot of the planetarium. The building was closing for the night and the lights were trying off. He overlooked the city below and spotted Ellie's apartment, the Buy More, and Sarah's place. It all felt so small from up here.

That what Chuck liked about this place. Whenever he had problems or things he needed to face, he'd come up here and clear his head. He'd look down at the city and feel an emotion distance as well as a physical. He'd look up at the stars and think about how somewhere, someone in the world was having just as crappy a day as him.

He watched as the majority of the city turned out their lights for the night. He watched the white headlights and red breakouts line up parallel to each other barely moving due to the high volume of traffic.

He thought about his day so far. Last month Ellie was pushing him to be somewhere in life until Sarah had Stanford sign off on his diploma. That had gotten Ellie off his back. But, she's back to pestering him… With love but, pestering just the same.

She keeps talking about his potential and how he's not fulfilling it at the Buy More. If only you knew. He thought.

Ellie wasn't just a sister, when their mother left she took on her responsibilities and did everything in her power to take care of Chuck. And while he was, chronologically speaking, an adult she still felt the need to raise him. And he felt the need to make her proud.

Which made it all the worse when he couldn't talk about all the good he's been doing and all the crazy stories he has.

The Buy More wasn't helping either. Emmet was really getting on his back. Chuck had to keep leaving to go save the world and Emmett was suspicious.

On top of all that, he had had an argument with Sarah about how cold she was emotionally. He didn't mean it. Ellie and Devon had been in danger and he had lashed out at Sarah for it. He needed to apologize. He just didn't know how.

That's why he sat on his car tonight. He needed to get away from it all.

Sarah was thinking about her dad. Just a couple weeks ago he had reappeared in her life and just as quickly as he came he was gone.

She was used to him moving in and out of her life but, that didn't mean she didn't feel a whirl of emotions each time he showed up. Usually thought those emotions would pass within a few days but, it's been more than a few weeks.

Stupid Bartowski, you just had to open the floodgates with your emotional vulnerability speech. Sarah thought.

Just one or two days ago Chuck had gotten angry at Sarah for not feeling anything when Ellie and Devon's lives were in danger. He had given her a classic Bartowski speech about how he knew she had to keep herself in check with the bad guys but, when she was around him she could let her guard down. It was only partly true. Emotional, yes, she could be a little more giving. But, she had to keep herself more alert than ever around Chuck. He was, after all, the most important intelligence asset in the world.

And his speech had opened up a whole new territory for her. She was determined to be more open and honest with him, and this left her craving more of his time and attention.

With swirling feelings consuming her long after he father had gone she needed to talk to Chuck. Or at least be around him. His presence alone could sooth her.

She opened her laptop and GPS tracked Chuck's watch to the planetarium and hopped in the Porsche.

Chuck sighed looking up at the stars. He felt like he could finally breathe. Like he was far enough away from his problems that they only existed in the furthest piece of his mind. He let his eyes close and could more clearly feel the cool air of s summers night.

After a good while of just sitting there he heard the familiar hum of Sarah's Porsche. He didn't open his eyes. He heard the car screech to a stop and her car door swing open.

Great another mission for sure, she's clearly in a hurry. Chuck thought. But, then he heard his car door open and slam. "Chuck!" Sarah yelled. He threw open his eyes to find his car was rolling towards the end of the parking lot, towards a small cliff. He braced himself as Sarah slammed on the brakes, put the herder in park, threw up the emergency brake, and slammed the door behind her.

Chuck closed his eyes to try and slow his heart rate. He took a deep breath. He heard the hastey click of her heels against the concrete.

"Chuck are you alright?" She said grabbing his face forcing him to look her in the eyes. She stroked his cheeks with her thumbs and brushed away a lock of his hair. "You weren't… doing this on… purpose right?" Sarah asked worriedly.

"No, no, nothing like that! I just wasn't paying attention. I didn't even feel it roll!" He huffed nervously at what would've happened if she hadn't showed up.

Sarah sighed in relief. "Thank goodness." She said as she let her hands drop. She slid onto the hood of the car to sit next to him.

"If you hadn't been here…" Sarah didn't even want to think about it. "Why were you here?" Chuck asked.

"I was… thinking about what you had said. About being more honest and open with you. I, I just wanted to say you were right. I'm sorry I haven't been there for you like you have for me. I'm going to try and change that." Sarah said unable to look him in the eye.

"Sarah, I need to apologize. I shouldn't have said those things. I was just lashing out at you for what almost happened to Ellie and Devon. I'm sorry." Chuck hung his head.

"Don't be, I needed to hear it." She said sincerely.

Chuck's heart warmed. "Something tells me there's more to why you're here."

Sarah loved how he was able to know what she was thinking before she even said anything. "Uh.. Yeah, I wanted to… talk."

Chuck smiled. He knew she was struggling to be open with her emotions but, he loved that she was making an effort. "About?"

"About my dad. I- I miss him. A lot. I'm not used to feeling this way. Usually my - Dad pops into my life out of nowhere and then just pops right back out and I'm fine. That's just what he does but, I don't know… I'm - I'm feeling very vulnerable right now so… if you could say something…" Sarah huffed a small laugh at herself.

"Sarah, missing your dad after he leaves is perfectly normal. Any daughter would feel the same way in your position. And, if I'm being honest, I'm surprised you've lasted so long with the way things are with your relationship. Most daughters would be a wreck. And, it's because you're so strong that you've lasted so long. You, Sarah Walker are one rare woman." Chuck gave her his classic crooked grin and Sarah's pain immediately washed away.

She smiled and bumped her shoulder into his. "You always know the right words to say."

Chuck and Sarah looked over the city together. A gust of a cool summer breeze made Sarah shiver and before she could even react Chuck had placed his buy more blazer over her shoulders. "Thanks." She said looking into his chocolatey eyes.

Chuck wondered if she meant his words of the jacket. Maybe a combination of the two, who knows? He smiled returning her gaze and getting lost in the ice water blue oceans of her eyes.

Sarah's agent Walker side of her brain was rearing it's ugly head again, pointing out that she needed to shut this down before she slipped up and made a huge mistake.

Sarah with a breath of sadness turned her gaze away from Chuck and back towards the glowing city lights.

Chuck's disappointment was palpable.

The Sarah side of her brain knew she had to give him some kind of hope for the future even though there could never be one, she had to find hope herself. So she rested her head on his shoulder. And with that simple gesture both of their moods lightened.

Chuck lightly wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her closer.

Sarah knew it was a dangerous path to go down but, she knew it was the path she had to take. The only way she could ever truly be happy was if she reveled in their mundane moments and ignored the looming notion that was their doomed future. It was the only way she could ever truly love. She just hoped that she wasn't hurting him this way. By leading him on. Am I being selfish? She thought.


End file.
